A Knew Way
by Kalendra
Summary: Finally determined to take control of her life, has Usagi gone to far, or is this exactly what she needs to do? (COMPLETED Who would have thunk it could happen)
1. Beginnings

A sharp bit of glass poked into her side bringing Usagi back to rational thought. Tears had dried to her face long ago and been refreshed by new ones. She could still feel a drop hanging from her chin and it burned on her flesh for she couldn't summon the energy to remove the last testimony to the rage of emotions flowing inside her. She still sat hunched down in the phone booth after having thrown herself in here to get away.

What a laugh. How do you get away from something that's in your mind, heart and blood? How do you run from something when all you want to do is embrace it? _Easy. Go somewhere that thing isn't_. Really easy.

Usagi was shocked with herself before she realized that it wasn't just her mind speaking. It was that of Princess Serenity not that they really were different but when she thought as Princess Serenity everything became clearer. She knew more, understood more and it scared her. Just this once she was to sad to be scared and so she embraced the more magnificent side of herself.  
_Run, to where?_ She asked the silence in her mind and sat waiting for the answer. Her thoughts where thick and slow but eventually the crystal clear thoughts of Serenity came to her and pushed back the sadness. _Run to America Usagi. You know how. I'll be here to help you._

_America? What's in America?_ She asked but she knew before the crystal voice answered her. _Does it matter?_ No of course it didn't matter if there was something in America or not. As long as what haunted her here wasn't there. Swiftly memories of class the day before filled her mind and she knew exactly what Serenity meant. The exchange program. There were always young students being sent to America in order to gain a better knowledge of the world. They had to pass a test collect the money and off they went.   
Usagi's parents had already saved up the money that was to send her there, and go to college. They'd saved it before they knew what a horrible student she would become, but the money was still there. With Serenity's help she could pass the test for Serenity knew everything Usagi had ever known and everything she hadn't paid attention to was lodged somewhere in the recesses of her mind. Serenity's presence told her this and Usagi knew it to be true.

_What about Luna? The scouts? _This Usagi asked herself knowing what Serenity would say to that. She was their princess it was her destiny to stay with them and lead them, but they didn't want the leadership. Just the other day Rei had told her that Minako would have made a much better leader, so what if she gave it to them? It would have to be done just as she left so they wouldn't know what was happening till she was gone.

Luna and Chibi-Usa, now there was a problem. Or it was till Usagi remembered that Luna had said they was staying at Ami's until she grew up. That had happened and Luna had missed it. Blinking back her tears Usagi stood up looking around the phone booth then at the buildings outside. She remembered with acute clarity why she'd thrown herself in here to cry, the harsh words the love of her life had uttered tossing her away like used Kleenex. Well fine. If that was all she was then the Kleenex would leave.  
She opened the door and with only a brief look at his apartment building she began a dash for school hoping she could catch up with Miss H before she left for the day. Her mad dash was much more graceful than normal and not once did she come close to tripping into anything. With a determined look on her face she reached her Junior High School rushing inside. She hadn't missed the Sensei. Luck had made it so that some other poor fool had double detention and the woman was beside herself with boredom. Usagi's appearance after school hours startled her but her question was even more bizarre.

"Are you sure Usagi? It's a very difficult test even Ami-chan had second thoughts about taking it." Usagi was resolute and in order to humor her she was given the test. Usagi sat in the back of the classroom pencil in hand looking at the mass of words and calculations before her. For a second panic rose in her throat.

_No Usagi. Read me the questions. We will answer them together._ Serenity told her. It wasn't all that hard and before she knew it she was answering the questions with Serenity the two selves using the hard work of the test to merge into one. Although still a separate thought structure, their knowledge was as one. Usagi remembered to thank Serenity at the close of the test for her help. There was only a bemused chuckle as a reply.

Her parents knew before she reached home, Usagi had made it there in record time since she didn't stop at the arcade but for a moment to look through the closed glass doors. Her friends were inside, the almost made a step to go to them but the words Rei had uttered in anger the night before filled her mind.

"It's no wonder Tuxedo Kamen doesn't want you anymore as much as a klutz and a moron as you are. Jeez Usagi grow up already." Rei's eyes seemed to spark with anger as she gingerly touched a wound on her leg. Makato had nodded and not even Ami had stuck up for her. Usagi had had wounds of her own, but no one noticed, or cared. She'd turned to limp off and head for home. Yet again she turned and headed for home no limp in evidence.

"I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT USAGI!" Her mother's frantic shout stopped Usagi in her tracks as she walked in the front door. She remembered to plaster a fake smile on her face just in time as her mother practically flew at her.

"This is GREAT Usagi. Why didn't you ever try this before?" She seemed to be mixed between being proud of her daughter and upset at the same time. Usagi tried to focus on the proud part.

"I'm sorry mama, but they started the program again and this time it's for three years and I really wanted to go. It's a great chance to see another country." Usagi told her voice a plastic copy of her normal cheerful one. She had to gasp for breath when her mother hugged her almost lifeless.

"I knew all it would take is for you to find something you wanted to do. This is great. Wait till your father gets home. We'll buy you a new wardrobe and some new luggage. The plane leaves in two days." She jumped for joy, just as Usagi should have been doing. But Usagi just watched her mother as though she had two heads.

_Well it was the right choice Serenity._ She spoke to herself watching her mother dance about the room. _Of course it was Usagi. Everything will turn out right._ The crystal voice told her and Usagi nodded faintly her feet taking her up the stairs and into her room. Usagi's old suitcase was already on the bed waiting for her clothes. Usagi slid out of her school clothes and into some lose sweat pants and a tight black shirt she rarely wore. This way she could see all of her belongings and find what to pack.

"Miss H said to bring only clothes, books and a few personal items. What do I take?" She asked out loud as she surveyed a lifetimes worth of junk she had acquired. _Take nothing, leave nothing behind._ Was Serenity's response. _Not helpful_. Usagi said sardonically, but in a way it made a little sense. She took her favorite clothes off their hangers along with her under things, socks, shoes, her diary and a couple of notebooks that had her favorite doodles in them. That done there were three things on the bed left. Her moon broach, the communicator, and her Luna Pen.

Surely one of the other girls could use the extra communicator, but the broach she would have to take. It was dangerous to whoever would find it or try to use it. The Luna pen could be useful where she was going. With a quick thought she hid all in her subspace pocket before zipping up her suitcase and placing it by the door. She could wear her school uniform shopping to morrow and wear something new for her trip.

"Usagi, DINNER!" Her mother's voice thundered down the hall startling her into movement. She went down to dinner to endure more compliments from her parents and very uncomplimentary comments from her brother.

That night she stare up at the moon thoughts tumbling through her head. She felt so different now, not quite the carefree girl she had been all her life nor the down trodden sad person she had been as she sat in that telephone booth this afternoon. No she wasn't the same but she couldn't in good conscience chalk it up to the Princess either because although she was part of it, it wasn't that entirely either. _It does you no good to fret about it._ Her inner self told her and Usagi knew she was right. _Sleep Usagi._ And she did.

She had three new pink suitcases brimming with clothes and other thing her mother had insisted on buying for her daughter. They each stood lined up by the door with her old one waiting the car trip that would take them to the airport at five am tomorrow morning. Usagi had her clothes for the next day laying out on the floor and she was now standing above them surveying the new look.

She had received a packet from Miss. H this morning that said she was going to New York and so she had shopped accordingly buying none of her usual shorts and skirts, but pants that were full and baggy. Someone had once told her that if you look bigger than you really are you had less chance of getting attacked. That maybe so, but Usagi wrinkled her nose at the sight. With a deep sigh she turned away to find her mother just standing in the door tears in her eyes.

"Mama?" She asked softly not wanting to startle the woman. Ikuko lifted her face so she could search Usagi's eyes with her own.

"Oh Usagi, I am so proud of you, but I'm going to miss you so much." Her mother whispered before throwing herself in Usagi's arms. Tears filled Her and they cried together. It was then, pressed close to her mother that she discovered something no one else knew.

"You know mama, you should turn this room into a nursery when I'm gone." Usagi whispered delighted to see the shocked look in Ikuko's eyes. A slow smile slid across her mothers face.

"How did you know?" She asked looking at the room assessing it's attributes. Usagi wanted to laugh at the earnestness on her mothers face.

"Curry." She said waiting for her mother to look at her. She looked confused. "Papa used to always say that you hated the smell of curry when you were carrying Shingo and me. You haven't cooked it in weeks." Her mother heard her out then burst out laughing. She nodded while trying to get herself under control.

"That's true enough. Are you sure you wouldn't mind us using your room? I'll have it all put together by the time you get back." She promised eyes once again going over the room. Usagi shrugged.

"It's perfect mama, and by the time I get back I may just as well be able to live on my own so you can let the baby have this room." She grinned. "I hope it's a girl. Shingo would just be soooo mad." Ikuko rolled her eyes.

"He's going to miss you too Usagi, we all will." She hugged the girl once more before leaving to finish dinner. Usagi remained standing tears filling her eyes as she thought over all she was leaving behind and the possible repercussions of what she was doing. The cool presence of Serenity kept her from doing something rash.

_I told you before that it will all work out Usagi, trust me._ She whispered with a compassionate voice. _But what if they can't fight without me, what if something happens while I'm gone. How could I live with that?_ Usagi asked crying out in her mind. Serenity was silent for a moment. _They will be protected, they always have been and will be prepared for any fight as you must be. We have been given this time to prepare and learn._ _Learn.. Learn what?_ Usagi asked but got no reply. She supposed time would tell and she went down to dinner.

Late that night her communicator beeped rousing her from a fitful sleep. She quickly looked at her clock before answering. Two hours till she had to get up. Perfect.

"Moon here." She said Ami's face appearing in the little circle.

"Don't tell me that you didn't even know there was an attack Usagi. How could you not!" She said with anger. It was odd for Usagi to hear those words from someone who was rarely angry at anything.

"What do you mean, how could I know?" Usagi was confused till she saw a flicker of light on her wall. She scrabbled out of the bed covers and looked out the window. Orange and green lights filled the night sky in the park nearby. Usagi rolled her eyes and held the communicator up to her face. "I see ya, I'll be right there." She shut the thing off shoving it back into the pocket before grabbing her broach. She looked it for a long moment.

"Hopefully the last time I have to do this." She told herself before crying out the words for transformation. She waited patiently as the ribbons formed her fuku and just this once she didn't pose. Who would see her? Neatly she dove headfirst out the window landing very neatly on her feet and she took off at a run.

It was a run of the mill Yuma, nothing new, nothing unusual except this time Usagi didn't wait around for Tuxedo Kamen to come save her. This time she didn't run around like a headless chicken dodging ill aimed bolts of whatever. This time she took one look at it and blasted the thing with her scepter. It was done within moments. She had hoped to get out of there before the other girls dug into her, but Sailor Mars cut her off.

"We're practically outside your window Moon, what took you so long?!" The outrage in her voice was evident and Usagi broke into her pitiful wail of tears knowing that's what they expected. She made her usual comments but stopped abruptly when Mars muttered something under her breath. She asked for a repeat.

"If you can't stop acting like a baby you shouldn't be leader!" Sailor Mars yelled pissed that the girl hadn't heard her comment to begin with. Usagi, instead of wailing stood up strait and looked directly at Mars. This is it.

"Is that what you want? For someone else to be leader?" She asked them softly her words cooling hot tempers. The Senshi looked at each other then back at Rei. They seemed to be following her lead. "Rei?" Usagi asked de-transforming but with her Scepter still in her hand. The other girls stayed as they were watching the priestess of fire who slowly nodded. Usagi held out the scepter then dropped it at her feet with a horrible thunk.

"There. It's yours." Usagi told her but she didn't make a move. None of them did till finally Sailor Venus coughed. As one they turned around, away from Usagi and walked off. Usagi looked over her shoulder feeling the eyes of a certain tuxedoed hero and seeing his shadow she turned away to retrieve her scepter. Yet another thing she would have to take with her. She could feel Tuxedo Kamen move to leave but she spoke once more stopping him for an instant.

"Good-bye Mamoru. I will always love you." She told him softly striding off in the opposite direction of him and her home. She sat in the park for a while before returning to her bed where her mother found her moments later.


	2. Remember Me

"Goodbye Usagi!" They were all waving and Usagi turned to wave back. This would be her last view of them for three years, she be eighteen when she returned and she wanted the memory to be perfect. Like a camera she filed the picture of them all waving into her memory so she could pull it out at any time. Before her eyes could fill with tears yet again she fled to the boarding gate holding out her ticket to the customer service agent who tore it and handed her back the stub. The line pressed her forward and she couldn't look again.

She'd done it. She'd managed to get ready early in the morning and without backing out had made it to the plane. She'd never flown before and her first step aboard the plane was hesitant but a very nice flight attendant took her ticket and led her to a seat. Somehow she managed to be the only one who had a seat to themselves as the two on each side around her were empty when the plane door shut so she switched to the window seat.

It was pitch dark outside so she just shut the blind and pulled out her communicator. Who should she give it to? Her thoughts flickered over each of the Sailor Soldiers before settling on a small pink headed figure. Maybe Chibi-Usa could use it. She knew who they were and they could track her if she were in trouble. It took a moments thought for Serenity to show her how to port it to Ami's. That done she settled back in the seat to watch a flight attendant show everyone the safety instructions first in Japanese then in English. To Usagi's surprise she understood both. Serenity's chuckle in her mind told her why.

The plane shuddered for a moment and Usagi looked out her window pulling up the blind and peaking out to see the lights of the runway roll by, but other than that she could see little so she shut it again and pulled her belt extra tight closing her eyes tight as she felt her stomach drop. Soon the captain was telling them small things like the time, temperature and length of the flight. Usagi felt the drag of sleep pulling at her mind, and after the brief fight this morning she didn't see the point to fighting it. She'd forgotten to bring a book to read. She laughed at that thought before dozing off.

Soft black hair, light and flowing trailed over her fingertips. Soft blue eyes looked into hers searching her soul as they had so many times before. The world disappeared around them and time stood still for just a moment. Then black lashes closed over the blue eyes and when they reopened they where cold and hard. She'd only seen them that one way before and that scared her to the core.

_Usagi wake UP!_ Serenity yelled into her subconscious and gratefully Usagi fled from the dream. _What's wrong?_ She asked without opening her eyes. The gentle rocking of the airplane that had lulled her to sleep a second time was more violent and Usagi could feel fear from the other passengers.

"This is the captain, I don't want to frighten anyone but we've seem to run into a sudden storm and there will soon be a lot of turbulence. Please everyone return to your seats and put your tray tables up. The Flight attendants will come around to pick up any food or beverages and give further instructions." The intercom crackled off . Usagi was fully awake now and she watched the flight attendants come down the isles picking up trays and the clear plastic cups they used. Usagi hadn't noticed before how young they were and although they hid it well she could see that they were scared.

_Okay maybe this wasn't such a good idea._ Usagi told herself not expecting an answer. Serenity sighed. _When will you begin to trust me Usagi?_ She asked softly and Usagi shrugged not sure of an answer. A flight attendant, a woman of about twenty with a name tag reading Cindi, stopped by Usagi's seat to ask if she needed anything or needed anything tossed. Usagi told her no then stopped her when she went to move on.

"How often does this happen?" She asked trying not to seem alarmed. Cindi looked at her with wide doe eyes.

"I don't know, it's my first flight." She answered rather honestly. Usagi gave her a soft smile then turned facing front. The young woman moved on before she turned to look out her window. Angry black clouds were forming around them growing bigger by the moment and sparks of lightning, looking only like static electricity from here, flickered between the clouds. Usagi hated lightning.  
_We're gunna die aren't we?_ She asked closing her eyes to hold back the tears. Serenity, when she answered sounded sad. _As it stands, yes we will._ Usagi, sharp as ever caught on right away. _As it stands, what am I supposed to do?_ The plane tilted wildly to the side making Usagi grasp onto the arm rests in a death grip. Hell she'd stopped a rogue asteroid once what was an airplane to that? But she'd died and this time there was no Prince to bring her back. _What am I thinking? One life compared to a hundred?_ As if she had an option.

_Wait until you have no other option Usagi_. Serenity told her and Usagi agreed. If somehow they managed to pull out of this she wouldn't need to use the Crystal and she would rather not have to. The plane straitened for a moment then listed again this time in the other direction. Fear as Usagi had never known gripped her heart and she sent a silent prayer to whoever out there might be listening. Unfortunately the only one who could feel her fears was far to far away to do any good, and right know she knew that he could feel it.

If she concentrated she could feel his eyelashes on her cheek as if they where her own. Pressing a hand to her chest over her heart she could feel both his heartbeat and hers in matched rhythm both beating explosively with panic. He couldn't help but know she was in trouble, and so he must also know that there was no way to get to her. Desperation filled both their hearts.

_Oh Serenity I love him so much, I'll never see him again now, of that I am sure._ Usagi whispered to the dark recess of her mind where she knew her princess self was feeling as she did. A well of hope rose from there filling Usagi's mind. _How many lifetimes have you felt the same thing Serenity_, the princess called Usagi by her real name. _You know as well as I that this lifetime will be different. All will be well, just trust in your heart and in me_. That was easy for her to say, but hope was in Usagi's nature and she held onto the offering with her entire being.

CRASH!!! Thunder boomed right outside the plane and Usagi's panic rose to unimagined heights. She thought her heart would explode with it's rapid beating but it didn't as deafness filled her ears. Lightning flashed again with the almost instantaneous boom following it. She was almost thoughtless with fright but somehow she managed to notice when orange and blue flames flickered outside her window. Somehow she released her death grip on the armrest to peer outside.

Didn't they always say that lightning never really struck airplanes? She remembered hearing that somewhere, some TV movie or something but they always said that no matter what lightning never struck planes. Well lightning had struck the plane. The furthest of the two engines on the right wing had wind swept flames trying to erupt from it. Billows of black smoke matched the darkness of the clouds around it. Planes could fly with lest that four engines. Wasn't the limit two?

Power in the cabin flickered before going out the only lights now were from a few red and green lights in the cockpit and the blinding flashes outside. Usagi leaned out in the isle to look towards the cockpit. She saw more red lights than green ones. The plane dropped suddenly righting itself after a few minutes then dropped again. This time when it leveled off she heard the crackle of the intercom.

"This is the captain. Now I want everyone to listen before moving or doing anything. We've lost three engines now, one to fire and the other two due to electronic failure. We can still fly with one engine but it's going to be a hell of a bumpy ride. We're going to try an emergency landing in Honolulu but it's still an hour away. Follow the instructions the flight attendants give and try to remain calm." The intercom crackled back off and the said flight attendants appeared trying to help people who were beginning to panic.   
Usagi looked across the isle for the first time and discovered that there was a little girl there, a little older than Chibi-Usa. She had a little pouch on a string around her neck meaning that she was traveling alone. Usagi now realized that she was why the attendant had been by so often. The little girl's green eyes were as wide as silver dollars and Usagi could have sworn that her fingernails where permanently imbedded in the armrest. Without a second thought she waited for the plane to right itself then unbuckling her seat belt made a mad dash for the chair next to the girl. She made it just in time before the plane started to roll again.  
"Hi, I'm Usagi." She whispered in the girls ear trying to break through her terror. The girl just kept staring strait ahead. Usagi tried again in Japanese. "I'm Usagi. What's your name?" She asked louder as there was a roar coming from the side of the plane she had just vacated. She got a blink that time. Maybe there was a way to shock her out of her terror. She leaned in close so no one else would here.

"I'm Sailor Moon." She told the girl who blinked rapidly then looked at Usagi closely. She was doubtful. "What's your name?" She asked quickly before she lost the girl again.

"Sakura." Was the shaky answer. "Are you really Sailor Moon?" She asked pleadingly. Usagi nodded with a grin. The girl smiled weakly. "Are you going to save us?" She asked tears in her eyes. Usagi was amazed the girl hadn't started crying long before now. Usagi sure would have.

"If the last engine fails, then yes. I don't want to give away my secret till then. Right?" She tried to sound consortial and must have managed it cause the girl winked. Usagi pried one of her hands from the arm rest and twined Sakura's fingers with her own. The girl had a pretty strong grip for a girl of maybe eight and Usagi winced as she was subjected to it. Unfortunately the lightning chose that moment to strike so close Usagi thought she could smell the burned ozone. She cringed, holding onto the girls hand as much as the girl was holding onto her. She recovered quicker than the girl, it wouldn't do for a super heroine to be scared of lightning.

Someone in the front of the plane cursed loudly and an attendant came out and began showing the crash landing procedures. Usagi knew it was now or never. With the tow of her foot she looped her foot around the strap of her bag under her seat and pulled it over to them. She found a pen and paper and quickly scribbled a note then tucked it inside an envelope. Then she scrawled a name and address on it. She found one more making this letter a little bit longer as it was addressed to five people. After that one she pulled out a last sheet of paper tears forming in her eyes as she wrote this one. She sealed it quickly then looked at the girl. She had a cute pink backpack under the seat in front of her. Usagi pulled it out and showed it to the girl.

"I'm going to give you these letters, and when you get home I want you to ask your parents to take you to the addresses and give the letters to the people on the front okay?" The girl looked lost. "These are my friends. I just want them to have something to remember me by okay? I know this is a big job do you think you can do it? As a favor for Sailor Moon?" The girls eyes got big but she nodded. Usagi stuffed them in the backpack. "Okay there's one more thing I need you to do." The girl looked at her and nodded. Usagi pulled her moon scepter and showed it to the girl. "This is my moon scepter, I'm sure you've heard of it." The girl nodded. "There's a guy, His name is on one of the letters, give this to him, but don't let anyone else see it okay?" The girl looked then at the scepter. "You think you can do that Sakura?" Usagi asked. The girl nodded and Usagi covered it with a shawl from her bag before sticking it in the girls backpack. It barely fit but she managed it. Then she slipped the backpack over the girls arms so that the pouch portion of it was against her chest.

"Now hold onto this, it will keep you safe no matter what all right?" The girl crossed her arms over her chest holding on tight. Usagi sat back in her own chair to prepare. The girl leaned over to look in her face.

"Sailor Moon?" She asked. Usagi looked at her nodding. "Aren't you going to go home with us?" She asked innocently. Usagi smiled sadly shaking her head.

"No Sakura I'm not. When all this is over I'll be in a beautiful place with my mother, but I won't be going home with you. I'm sorry." She apologized as tears formed in the girl's eyes. Usagi reached over and gave her a one armed hug. The girl sniffed and tried to be brave.

"Thank you Sailor Moon." She whispered leaning in towards Usagi and planted a kiss on her cheek. Usagi was never more sure of anything in her life then at that moment. Yes she would willingly give her life to save this life.

"Your welcome Sakura. Now do what I said and give those letters to the people, and the scepter. Be brave." She used Chibi-usa's saying to give the girl heart. She nodded and looked back out the window. They were lowering fast but at least the plane was somewhat level for now. The Flight attendant was once again going over ocean crash procedures. Usagi gave her a quick look and leaned back in her chair. Her moon brooch fell in her lap when she summoned it.

She looked at it one last time, the people around her, then at Sakura's fearful face before closing her eyes. The image of the broach and it's contents where burned on the back of her eyelids and she could see what was going on around her without paying attention. _Serenity, I don't want to die, but I'm willing to_. She told herself and the crystal rising from the brooch. Serenity didn't say anything but Usagi knew she understood.

With that last thought she put all of her will into the crystal wishing with not only her heart but her soul that the plane be stopped and set on an island where they could be rescued. She focused and tightened her mind to that one wish impressing it upon the crystal till she knew of nothing else.

White light pulsed out from the crystal surrounding first Usagi, then Sakura and soon the entire plane. The descent slowed to practically nothing but they continued to move forward. Somehow, no one was sure how, they managed to land in the water just off an island. The plane did break apart and rubble was strewn down across the sea but the cabin of the plane for the most part stayed intact. Sections were missing including the few seats where Usagi was supposed to be sitting.

        Official Report: The unexplained phenomena saved all passengers aboard save one Usagi Tsukino who's row in the plane was completely lost. Passengers swam to the island where twelve hours later they were rescued. No one was hospitalized. Phenomena still unexplained.  
  
        Young Sakura had waited to save this last letter till the end. The first two had been hard, but she knew this would be the worst. Something about how her friend had written the letter and looked so sad told her this. Even so she knocked on the door. A promise was a promise. Her parents stood besides her radiating encouragement. They hadn't been happy when their daughter undertook this endeavor but from what Sakura had told them of the young woman Usagi they understood how much it would mean for friends and family to receive one last word from someone they loved. They were just happy for having gotten their daughter back.

The door opened and a haggard young man looked warily at them all. Sakura stepped up and he focused his attention on her.  
"Are you Mamoru Chiba?" She asked eyes wide. He nodded faintly his blue eyes trying to bore holes through her. "A friend of mine asked me to give these to you before she left." She said in a soft voice fishing first the letter then the wrapped scepter out of her backpack. The scepter was still wrapped in the soft pink shawl and he looked to it before even considering the letter. With trembling hands he took the scepter from her slowly taking the shawl off and revealing the beautiful Scepter that had belonged to his only love.  
"Usako." He whispered gazing at it then holding it close. He then took the letter but didn't open it before the people. "Thank you for doing this. You've no idea what it means to me." He told the girl and her parents. Sakura smiled at him innocence beaming from her eyes. Mamoru set the letter and the scepter inside and shook out the shawl looking at Sakura before settling it about her shoulders. The soft fuzzy pinkness framed her face perfectly.

"I think she would have liked you to have this." He leaned down and hugged the girl before her parents gathered her up and left. Quietly he shut his door taking the scepter and letter further into his apartment where he could sit and read it.

        "Mamo-chan I haven't much time to write this for the plane is crashing as we speak. I just wanted you to know that I love you and no matter where I end up I will always love you. I need you to protect the scouts, and Chibi-usa so don't try anything foolish. Till the next lifetime. Remember me with love.  
  
Usako"  
  
        The letters squirmed before his eyes and the letter fell to the floor before he could get his tears on it. Shaky hands covered his face tears spilling through his fingers. The scepter fell to the floor to lay next to her letter with the same thunk it had made that day on the grass.


	3. A Knew Way

PART TWO

"Uggg." Was the only sound she could manage from cracked and bleeding lips. Another wave lapped over her and this time she couldn't keep her face from the water as she started to choke. Struggling with her arms she managed to kick and pull her way further onto the beach out of the reach of the tugging waves. The salt coppery taste of blood was making her sick, that or the gallons of sea water resting in her stomach. Either way she managed to roll on her side as all of it came back up.

"Uggg." She tried again unable to vocalize anything. Why did her arm feel so funny, what on earth was she doing in the sea, hadn't she been.... where had she been? It was odd trying to fight with her body and her mind when all she wanted to do was sleep. Somehow common sense kept her from falling asleep so instead she reached a sore and battered hand up to peal off the salt that was gluing her eyes shut.

"ARGGG" She was blind! Or so she first thought when she opened her eyes. It was pitch black outside and once she looked up at the sky she realized that it was only darkness that kept her from seeing. The stars where still glittering above although there was no moon. That would make it difficult to see on any day. She had to get up, find help but where was she? Only one way to find out and that was going to be difficult.

Later she found it odd that being so injured didn't bother her more. With three broken ribs a broken arm and many lacerations all over her body she should have been frantic and unable to move. Yet somehow she made it to the island's cottage hospital dehydrated as all hell and unable to speak. Her clothes were ripped to shreds and she had no identifying anything and most important of all, she had no clue who she was.

"Miss," The nurse applied a little more Vaseline to her lips to keep them from cracking. "Miss, can you tell me your name?" It was the first time their strange patient looked completely conscious not in delirium as she had the last week mumbling about strange lights in the dark. The girl looked at the nurse testing her lips to see how bad they hurt when she moved them.

"Excuse me?" She managed softly. Her throat was still raw despite the humidifier in the room to make it better. The nurse repeated her question. Immediately she started to blurt out, "Seren...." But she couldn't remember the rest of it. She looked up at the nurse lost. "Seren something, but I don't know the rest. I don't remember anything!" She looked panicked. The nurse put a calming hand on her arm without a cast.

"Don't worry. It may come to you. Just try to think about it, try to remember for me okay? I have to go get your new roommate." The nurse told her. The patient looked up not sure she liked the idea of a roommate. She's just barely woken up, she didn't know who she was and the last thing she wanted to face was someone's babbling questions. She didn't have a choice though for she was as of now a ward of the state, whatever the state may be. She'd have to remember to ask about that.

The nurse left her patient to her thoughts as she went down to the recovery room. The new patient was just about the other's age and a bright cheery girl she knew well. Just the thing a sad young woman needed. She whistled cheerfully and she pushed the wheelchair back to the room where the platinum headed girl was looking at the ceiling puzzlement written all over her face. The young girl looked up at the nurse who nodded.

"Well Miss, this is your new roommate, Amanda Donnelley. Amanda this is the young woman who was found a week ago." Nurse Joy introduced them all happily. The girls seem to look each other over carefully not saying anything for a moment. Then the patient realized she was being rude.

"It's nice to meet you Amanda." She said softly, a hand going out for the Vaseline bottle. Her lips were hurting again and there seemed to be some sort of numbing agent in the stuff. Amanda nodded and smiled before Nurse Joy hoisted her onto the second bed of the room and fixed her leg in it's cast in some sort of cradle from the ceiling. After testing it's strength she left the two girls to get aquatinted telling them she'd be back in an hour for dinner.

"So," Started Amanda curious but not wanting to intrude on the girl. Finally unable to help it she turned on her side a bit fixing the other girl with a glare. "Where ya from?" She asked in such a way that the other girl couldn't help but laugh. It hurt, really hurt, but the laughter was good. After a moment she settled down looking at Amanda who had a grin on her face. Clearly the question had had it's desired effect.

"Honestly I don't know. I just woke up today and realized I have no idea who I am." She told Amanda who's beseeching brown eyes begged for answers. Her soft red hair, cropped close to her head kept falling in her eyes and she would try to blow it away with little success. Still she looked at the other girl.

"No idea at all?" It was the next logical question not that she didn't believe the girl, but she wanted to know.

"Well, I think my name starts with Seren- something, I started to blurt it out when first asked, but I can't remember the rest." She unconsciously bit her bottom lip then winced when it hurt.

"Well I once knew of a girl named Serena, that's kind of close isn't it?" Amanda offered remembering the small girl she'd once met. Something had happened to the girl though she couldn't remember what.

"True, that could be it. Well till I remember, Serena it is. Thank you Amanda!" Serena grinned as widely as her cracked lips would allow then reached for her water happily finding a straw there. "Could you tell me where I am?" She asked between sips. Amanda nodded.

"Yeah, your in Lihue on the island Kauai in Hawaii. One of the lesser known islands of that state. Pretty much dullsville if you're from anywhere else." Amanda told her meaning that she wasn't a native of the island. Serena couldn't have told the difference anyhow but it was something she could talk about.

"Really, where are you from then?" She asked putting her drink down. Something was pulling her hair on the top of her head but she wanted to know more than she was worried about it. Idly she reached up to feel what was wrong. One or two of her hairs had gotten caught in the bandage over her eyes she tugged them loose before patting the rest of her short hair away from it.

"California. My family commutes quite a bit since our summer home is here, not that there ever really is a winter in either places, it just rains here mostly in the winter." Amanda fiddled with her own short red hair. She twisted in place trying to get comfortable with the cast.

"What season is it now?" Serena asked unsure of even that. It seemed quite hot and even with the air conditioner going full blast it was still over eighty degrees. She wished she knew what was going on or that she'd gotten a chance to ask these questions before so she didn't sound so dumb. Apparently Amanda didn't find this dumb at all and took the questions in stride offering as much information as she felt a girl with no memory should have.

"End of summer, August. Most places school has started already but mine doesn't start for two more weeks. My brothers and i go to a private school in California cause our parents don't want us in with a bad crowd. Hehe wouldn't they like to know what we do with our spare time." This puzzled Serena but Amanda didn't talk more about her spare time. Instead she went on about the island talking about the layout how the got between islands on the ferry then flew on a charter plane from the islands to the main continent. Serena was amazed.

"Doesn't that cost a fortune?" She asked then squeaked cover her mouth with her free hand. Amanda looked at her then laughed long and hard. "Sorry, that was really rude." Serena said apologizing.

"No no, it's fine. Everyone asks us that. My parents mostly live here, but they own a large chain of Spas and businesses in both places. They're multi-millionaires. They leave my brothers and I with a small army of attendants and supervisors and pretty much ignore us all, it's great!" She said fanning herself with a magazine. Serena and Amanda were both amazed how fast the girls seemed to have become friends but Serena realized something that put a major hold on her good mood.

"Wait, so you'll be leaving in a couple of weeks, I'll never see you again." She said tears filling her eyes rapidly. Amanda looked alarmed at the idea having not thought of it. She saw Serena's tears and rapidly thought for a moment.

"Maybe, but like I said my parents have a lot of influence. Maybe, and don't write this off as done, but just maybe they would be willing to take you as a foster child. The state's always trying to get them to do things like that and this would be perfect." She seemed to be thinking as she talked and Serena sat up straighter in bed thinking the idea over. Amanda and Nurse Joy where the only people she knew as of now, and she really liked Amanda for all that they had only known each other for an hour. Just then the Nurse returned and Amanda tested her idea on her. The Nurse grinned.

"Yanno, I think that might just work." She said to both of the girl's delight. "The state really has always tried to get them to take foster children and with Amanda's insistence they could be willing to do it, but don't get your hopes up to fast girls. This all has to be cleared through the right channels." Both girls nodded but they exchanged glances and smiles before the nurse left.

The small TV in their room was on and the reporter was standing in front of a picture of a large wreck partially submerged in water. Amanda watched it intently.

"What's that?" Serena asked curious. They flashed a picture of some blond girl with an odd hairdo. Serena looked at the picture, thought the girl was kind of cute but that was it.

"It's been a year since that plane crashed. They're doing a tribute to the only person who died on the flight. Some girl from Japan." Amanda told her in a soft voice. The reporter went on to tell about the amazing circumstances of the flight and it's landing along with showing a picture of the girls family. Serena felt sorry for them and wondered what it would be like to have a family like that. The little boy in the picture was especially sad.

"That's sad." She said. Amanda nodded and flipped the channel to cartoons.   
  
        Later that day Amanda's parents stopped by and Serena was taken aback. They were every inch as rich as Amanda had said and for the first time she wondered if maybe this wasn't such a good idea. She didn't want to take advantage of such a friendship, and to her it seemed like that was exactly what she was doing.

Sarah Donnelley was not quite forty and could have been Serena's mother as she had the same blue eyes and body structure but her hair was the same red as Amanda's instead of Serena's platinum silver. She wore an emerald business suite with a crème blouse underneath that was cut and folded and hand stitched. Rings sparkled from her fingers and all looked expensive but they were tasteful not gaudy.

Her husband a Joseph Donnelley was tall brown headed with blue eyes. He also wore a business suit, his a tasteful gray with a soft gray shirt under it. He wore only his wedding ring but the suit must have cost at least a hundred dollars. They held themselves as royalty, not that Serena had any idea how she knew that but she knew that they did. The seemed a little stern with the daughter but when Serena was mentioned they turned to all smiles.

For such busy people they were quite friendly if not a little stuffy. This was a nobody girl who they had never met but they treated her with courtesy. Serena happily found that she seemed to know exactly what to say to them and how to act in their presence. This surprised them as well. Amanda politely asked them about fostering Serena and though they seemed surprised at the request neither of them were set against it.

"I'm quite sure we will soon be getting a formal request from the state, and if everything seems in order I don't see why not. We'll run a couple checks to make sure no one has reported her missing and if all is well that should be possible." Mr. Donnelley told them trying not to spark their imaginations. "Either way Serena, we'll make sure that you are settled somewhere happily." They were rewarded with a beaming smile from Serena and un-rationally they both felt an extreme need to help this young girl who was lost in the world. Sarah patted her on the shoulder before they left.

"Wow, they're gunna do it!" Amanda exploded a moment after their door shut. She seemed ecstatic. Serena who was feeling a bit tired smiled back.

"How do you know, they said they weren't sure." She wanted to believe but it all seemed to unreal. It must be some sort of fairy tale.

"Oh they always say that knowing that if they excite us to much it wont be good for the healing. It's just the way they acted, I know they'll do it. You'll see." Amanda gave her a thumbs up to which Serena yawned. "Get some sleep girl, you look beat. Hey I forgot to ask. Is that hair color real?" Serena shrugged awkwardly snuggling down in her bed. Amanda grinned and put on a pair of headphones turning up the music. Serena drifted off happily thinking of having a home.

"Amanda!" Voices yelled bringing both girls wide awake an instant before their door crashed open. Three young boys followed by two guys older than Serena and Amanda walked in. The young boys were the ones making all the noise. Serena ran a hand through her hair then looked at Amanda who seemed unruffled. The boys ranging from about ten to thirteen jumped up and down while the older two grabbed chairs and sat at the foot of her bed.

"Toby, Michael calm DOWN!" Amanda ordered. Immediately two of he noisy boys subsided. The last one, climbed on her bed carefully sitting so he didn't disturb her leg. Amanda sent Serena and exasperated look. Serena grinned. One of the two older boys looked at her for a moment before fixing Amanda with a stare.

"I thought you were getting your own room." He said pointedly, but not angrily. The other one glanced at Serena too and she tried not to flush with embarrassment. Amanda tried to save her.

"There wasn't enough room since the hospital was all booked up. Everyone I want you to meet Serena. We may be fostering her for a while." She informed them all. Six pairs of eyes fixed on Serena who squirmed in her bed. Amanda clapped her hands loudly braking the silence and most of the looks. The young boy on her bed continued to stare rudely so Serena stared back. Finally he grinned and looked away.

"Really? Mom and Pops actually said that?" The oldest asked. Serena took notice of them all for the first time. Every one of them had a red tint to their head, only the youngest having the same hair as Amanda. The oldest had reddish blond hair with green eyes. He had a stubborn chin and enough facial hair to form a goatee. The one next to him had reddish brown hair and was clean shaven. He also had green eyes but they were not the sharp emerald of his older brother. More a hazel. The younger ones were facing away from Serena except the one who stared at her again. He had blue eyes and a scar running across his chin. Not to mention a dazzling grin.

"Yup. They said they'd try for sure. She's the Jane Doe they found outside." She told them like it was a proud fact and something she'd found before anyone else. Serena couldn't help but smile. Amanda turned to Serena. "Serena these are my brothers. The oldest is Adam then Alex, then Toby, Michael and last of all Matthew." She patted the boy on the bed who grinned. "Guys this is Serena." They all nodded or said hi.

"Hello." She said her voice timid. One of her lips cracked and Serena was busied with putting Vaseline on them. Quickly they were numb. The oldest, Adam was watching her closely.

"So when do you get outta here Amanda?" Alex asked. Amanda shrugged although she had told Serena that she was supposed to leave today.

"I don't know. I was supposed to leave today, but I'm gunna ask mom if I can stay with Serena till she can go too. Serena has amnesia and I want to help her get to know some stuff before she's on her own." Amanda told them. This was news to Serena but the guys took it as something Amanda would do. Alex grinned first at Amanda then at Serena.

"Well that sounds good to me I guess. We have your car in the shop and it should be fixed by the time we go back. I can't believe that scum crashed into you like that." That must have been why Amanda was in the hospital. She frowned and the boys looked around darkly. "Yeah that creep. We got him though and he'll have to pay for the damages. He wasn't to happy to find out exactly how much it would cost but when he heard who we were he knew he'd have to pay it." Adam said tickling Toby to lighten the mood. He squealed with laughter bringing Nurse Joy into the room. She saw them all and sighed looking at the ceiling.

"What did I do to deserve this?" She asked jokingly putting a grin on all of the Donnelley's faces. "Well boys, it's time for the girls to have breakfast so I must ask you to leave. You can come back at noon if you want." She grabbed the broom in the corner and held it like a hockey stick in case any of them objected. They all seemed to know the joke for they laughed and started to leave. Alex poked his head back in the room once the younger ones where out.

"We'll bring you some clothes Amanda, and Serena we'll ask Mom to stop at a store and get you something. I don't think Amanda's would fit you." This elicited a squeal of outrage from Amanda and the Nurse pretended to whack him over the head. He laughed and disappeared. Serena looked at Amanda confused. She was just as thin as Serena was why wouldn't her clothes fit?

"I'm five feet tall Serena." She said. Sitting down Serena couldn't have seen that but the Nurse had brought in crutches and Amanda was now standing up. Serena could see that she really was that short, at least eight inches shorter than Serena herself who had been measured at five feet eight when she'd come in. She was still young enough to grow even more.

"No I suppose they wouldn't fit both of us would they." She said giggling. Amanda threw her an angry look but it wasn't real and she giggled too. Amanda hobbled over to the bathroom while the nurse brought a new hospital gown for Serena. Amanda came out and Serena went in to take a careful shower and put the new gown on. She stood looking at herself in the mirror for a long time trying to recognize the face staring back at her.

She had large clear blue eyes and a gentle face that graciously recognized as beautiful but she couldn't take pride in it. White silvery hair barely longer than her ears framed her face enhancing her soft pale skin and making her quite attractive. She was decently tall, but not any taller than a guy her age so it wasn't awkward and she was lean, not thin. Even a week in bed couldn't get rid of the muscled tones. Serena saw all these things about herself and knew it felt wrong. She couldn't tell what was wrong or know why it was but it felt that way to her. Shaking her head her neck felt rubbery as though her hair should weigh more.

The nurse was still in the room and so Serena put the question to her. Yes they had cut her hair because it had been tangled into all of her wounds and they hadn't been able to get it clear. Length had been down to her knees and all of it the same silvery color it was now. Serena nodded, that made more sense then it didn't. She thanked the nurse then went and sat on her bed picking at the cast on her arm. It didn't hurt anymore, in fact it itched more than anything. The nurse asked her about it.

"That's odd. Well we'll take you to x-ray later and have it looked at. The doctor on call said that it seemed a lot worse than it really was when you first came in so maybe it's better. Still you should have that cast for at least a month more." Serena frowned.

"I still have about three weeks on mine Serena so don't feel bad." Amanda told her. She was back in bed with the leg up in it's cradle. A magazine was open on her lap and she flipped a page.

"Shouldn't a broken leg take longer than that?" Serena asked picking up one of the magazine's that were on her night table. Amanda smiled. Waving away the question.

"Yeah. I broke it about a couple months ago. I'm in here for a car accident I was in." That explained the car stuff earlier. "Some guy t-boned my car when he was running a red. I got a couple of bruised ribs and it knocked my car around. He was a moron." She dismissed the man with another wave. It was her left leg that was broken so Serena supposed she could drive with it.

"Isn't it hard to drive like that?" She pointed to the leg. Amanda nodded.

"Yeah, I had to drive an automatic, which is a pain." She leaned down to look at an article in the magazine and Serena left off the questions looking at her own magazine. It seemed different to her full of beauty tips and articles about clothes. She didn't think that she would be interested in it, but soon found herself engrossed in the articles. She didn't understand most of it.

"What is rouge?" She asked suddenly after reading one article about the correct application for cheek makeup and being completely baffled. Amanda looked at her as though she were mad.

"Are you kidding?" Was the question and Serena expected it. She shook her head looking back at the magazine. Somehow tears had seeped into her eyes and she felt like crying at her ignorance. Amanda saw this and reached for the phone. Within ten minutes two women had shown up arms full of carrying cases of all sorts of color. Serena had gotten herself under control but was now confused.

"These are my beauticians Serena. They're gunna teach you everything you'll ever need to know about makeup." Amanda told her with certainty putting her magazine away. One of the woman, a large tanned woman with a very chatty personality plopped herself on Serena's bed and began opening her cases revealing all sorts of pots and pens, lipsticks and liners. Soon her bed was a maze of color but Serena wasn't any less confused. The other woman, a fake blond with bright red lipstick and red eyelids, pulled up a chair to sit besides the bed. Both of them looked like they had a challenge before them.

"Do you know anything about makeup?" The one sitting on her bed asked kindly. Serena shook her head not trusting her voice. "That's okay. Good even. We can teach you the correct way not what all the teens think they should be doing. We'll start with what these things are." She held up a tube of lip liner and launched into an explanation.

Hours later Serena passed their quiz and had her own collection of various types of makeup. Her own face had been scrubbed clean of any traces but she'd tried just about all of the things the women had brought. Two bulging blue cases sat at the foot of her bed and the women, smiling now, where telling her horror stories that they'd come across in their line of work. She grinned and laughed with Amanda at what they said. At eleven thirty a nurse brought in lunch and they took their leave.

"Wow Serena, I didn't know you had such a good memory." Amanda praised her between bites. Serena who had really dug into her food, was already finished but still hungry. A nurse was bringing her a second plate.

"Your not the only one." She said taking her fork and using it like a shovel. The fork was held wrong in her fingers and Amanda noticed.

"You eat funny. Here hold it like this." She held up her own fork and placed her fingers delicately around it. Serena copied and it worked much better. She finished her second plate before Amanda had finished her first. Although still hungry she didn't ask for another plate. The hospital food wasn't exactly the tastiest. Instead she stacked her plates on the tray and put it outside the door as they'd been told.

"I wonder if you always eat like that. I'm amazed you stay as fit as you are." Amanda remarked when Serena took her plate also. Serena shrugged and placed it with the rest looking up to see Nurse Joy coming with a wheel chair. She waved to Serena.  
"Time for x-rays." She said after she checked Amanda for discomfort. She didn't fail to notice Amanda's makeup or the two blue cases. "Don't let this girl get you to cover your face Serena. You have just enough natural beauty to do without all that gunk." The nurse told her perfectly aware that they were still in Amanda's hearing. Nurse Joy's own face was covered in makeup. Serena assured her that she would use the least amount possible and the nurse nodded.

Not only were her ribs almost completely healed, but her arm which had been fractured was a week or two from being completely normal. The x-ray technician checked it twice to be absolutely sure then remarked that Serena had amazing recuperative abilities. According to the nurse she could leave as soon as lodgings were arranged. Amanda was happy to hear this when Serena returned. Adam, Alex, and Michael were there with Amanda when the Nurse had wheeled her back to their room. A small bag of clothes were sitting on her bed and Amanda was already wearing a soft green shirt and cut off jeans.

"Those are for you Serena." Amanda told her when she unzipped it and peered inside. Several sets of clothes, all in a soft blue, where neatly folded inside. Serena thanked all of them and took the bag into the bathroom to change. There were so many beautiful articles of clothing in the bag that it was hard for her to choose but finally she settled on a tank-top that came to her middle and a pair of baby blue shorts. They all fit remarkably well and she was much more comfortable that she had been before. At the bottom she had found underclothes, which she'd put on first.

"Nice." Amanda told her when she emerged from the bathroom. Alex whistled softly and Adam gave her an appreciative look. Serena knew she had chosen well and she sat on her bed to put on a pair of matching socks. She still didn't have any shoes and Amanda noted it, not that she needed them in the hospital.

"Well Pops was right when he said the state would contact them for fostering." Alex told Serena seeming the more talkative of the Donnelley clan aside from Amanda of course.

"The paper work should be done by Wednesday which is tomorrow and after that you can come home with Amanda. Mother's besides herself planning shopping sprees for both of you." Serena looked startled. "It's for school, she normally does this for Mandy." He informed her using a pet name for his sister. Amanda glared daggers at him and he glared back.

"Wow, I don't know how to thank you, or your parents for doing this for me." Serena told all of them sitting on the bed and feeling a bit lost for words. She didn't know why she was embarrassed but for some reason she was.

"Don't sweat it." Adam spoke for the first time. "It'll be great having another sister. With just Mandy to tease it can get a little boring." He told her. Amanda pretended to fume but inside she thought this was all grand. She had not only made a new friend, but now she had a sister as well. Something she'd always wanted but never had since her parents had no interest in having more than six kids. Besides now she had someone female to talk to, instead of just males. It was great. Serena took heart in Adam's words and nodded.

"There should be a social services person in here later to make sure that it's all fine with you but it should all go well." Alex said as they began joking again and telling stories of their friends from school so Serena wouldn't feel so behind when she finally met them. At three the Social Serviced representative did indeed show up and they boys left promising to bring them some burgers and shakes for dinner.

"So you've taken the name Serena?" The rep asked taking out a check board with paper on it and writing the name down. "And you have no idea who you are and where you're from?" At Serena's affirmative she wrote again. She told Serena that the hospital had placed her age at sixteen although they couldn't place a time of year for her birth. Serena picked the summer solstice for her birthday which the woman said she should do, and all of it was written down. Serena was also given the chance to pick her own last name since she wasn't a Donnelley unless they formally adopted her and as old as she was, that wasn't really likely. She thought about it for a moment. Serena Celeste was what she finally chose, with no middle name and the rep wrote that down also.

"Have you met the Donnelley's?" She asked. Serena recounted the day before and the rep deemed that adequate before asking if Serena wanted to go with them. She took one look at Amanda and nodded resolutely. The rep smiled and wrote a bit more on her paper.

"Okay well the hospital will print up a copy of your records including your new name, age, birthday and all the other info. You'll receive a Social Security card in a month or so, and that will be yours for as long as you live. All right?" To Serena, now Serena Celeste it was more than all right. It was fabulous. She felt like jumping up and down screaming. The rep nodded with a simile then left.

"Whoho!" Amanda yelled, and Serena knew that if she hadn't been in a cast she would be jumping up and down with Serena. Serena was grinning like a cheshire cat when the boys came back in arms loaded with bags of food and a shoe box. The box they gave to Serena who immediately opened it. Inside where blue canvas shoes that matched all of her blue clothes. She thanked them while they pulled a table into the room and started dividing up food. They'd brought enough so that even with Serena's incredible appetite there was plenty for everyone.

"We're all thrilled that you'll be living with us." Little Michael told her from where he sat by Amanda. His mouth was full of food and he had to stop and finish before he could continue. "Mom's been making calls all day to get rooms ready at the manors and to the school too. She said there's a placement test you'll have to take, but they'll fax it here so everything will be ready when we get back. Between all that and the shopping trips you'll be on, your head will spin before we get back to Cali." He said grabbing another burger from the stack.

"Yup. Wonder what grade you'll be in. Adam's a senior, I'm a freshman and Amanda's a Sophomore." Alex told her dumping ketchup over his fries. Adam stole on grinning. "Knowing our luck you'll be a junior." He faked a grimace and at Serena's confused look Adam elaborated.

"He wouldn't be able to bare it if someone younger than he were in a grade higher. We're all pretty advanced for our ages and it's a top rate private school. Don't worry bout it though you'll fit in just fine." He told her watching Serena slurp down a shake in one gulp. It helped her throat a great deal and told him so. She had to keep applying stuff on her lips cause of the salt in the food.  
"Wow. I can't believe all this." She told them. "I didn't even get a chance to feel sorry for myself for being an orphan." They were silent for a moment before they all laughed.

"Yup that's us Donnelley's for ya." Alex glopped more ketchup on a fry. "We take over everything we see and want." He laughed with the rest of them when a dollop of ketchup landed on his chin. He licked it up and dumped another packet of fries on his napkin.  
"Just wait Serena. This is just the beginning." Adam told her his eyes twinkling. Serena believed him.


	4. Life Beyond

Serena could barely sleep that night from both anxiety and excitement. Somehow Amanda snored through the whole thing not rustling once but Serena got up several times and padded over to the window to look outside. A sliver of a moon was rising over an ocean she couldn't remember having ever seen. She thought the endless waves with the moon reflected off them looked beautiful but had she ever thought that before? It was all to confusing for Serena to think about. A few hours before dawn she finally managed to fall into a restless slumber but was awake before the Nurse came to rouse them.

"Chill Serena." Amanda told her seeing Serena's nervousness. "Mom and dad won't be here for a couple of hours so just relax. Why don't you take the first shower, and don't worry bout using all the hot water." Amanda was laying clothes out her bed meticulously picking out her ensemble making Serena laugh as she stepped into the bathroom.

Under the harsh light over the sink Serena's blue eyes seemed to washed out and her skin a deathly color. But happily most of the cuts and bruises were gone and with some light makeup she could even make her cheeks have a little color. She tried to smile, but decided that although she could fool everyone else, there was no point in trying to fool herself. She shed her clothes and turned up the water the hottest she felt she could stand. That way she couldn't feel the hot tears trickle down her face to join the rest of the water.

How much was she missing in her life, how many people loved and missed her? Was there someone special out there for her? A boyfriend? And what about friends. Surely she had friends. But no one had turned her in missing. She was sure that the Donnelley's wouldn't have gone through with the paper work unless there was no way she belonged some where. Where was she from, what was her name? Did they not want her?

There were so many questions and so few answers. Maybe someday the Donnelley's would help her find the answers, maybe. For now at least they wanted her, Amanda and the rest. Someone wanted her. And as for her past it didn't matter anymore. She could create herself in whatever way she wanted. She had to be her future and take full advantage of it. Serena shut off the water and shook the water from her hair. She had the feeling that she'd never been able to do that before and it was kind of nice. Maybe she'd keep it short. She grinned at herself in the mirror. She could now do whatever she wanted with her life with only her own expectations to live up to.

She looked down at the clothes she had selected and decided that she rather liked blue, but a little pink to go with it would be nice. Pink would be to girlie and she didn't want to be girlie. That was old. Plans forming in her mind she returned to her shared room where Amanda gathered up her clothes and passed her to take a shower. Amanda looked much happier seeing that Serena had calmed down and looked happier.

Time rolled passed. Nurse Joy came to take final stats from her, blood pressure, temp, everything that had been taken when she came in so they could mark her improvement. And she had improved. Everyone could see it. The friendly nurse was very happy for Serena who so lost a couple days ago could now look forward to friends and family instead of a life as ward of the state. Serena herself kept thinking things along the same lines and was also happy and her infectious grin made everyone smile also. Amanda, who had managed to get water in her cast and was slightly dampened by attempts to get it out, also smiled at Serena wondering how such a perfect person could have been left like this. But life sent curious twists and grinning she figured this was one of them. Therefore when five boys and two hassled looking adults came into their room they were ready and smiles were quickly shared.

"Okay Serena, we've got everything set. Papers are finished and we'll get copies for you to keep when this all settles down and you have somewhere to put them." Mr. Donnelley, who insisted she call him dad or pops, told her waving a manila envelope. Toby kept trying to grab it from him so he promptly stuck it in his brief case. Serena nodded at him quite sure that he would do just that.

"Now we've got a room ready for you but we'll move you into another one as soon as we have a new computer desk, bed and all your clothes bought. We'll do that tomorrow. Today I just want you to get familiar with the layout of the house and take the tests that the school faxed us. We'll have a big dinner tonight and let the kids take ya out on the town. They have something planned I think." Mrs. Donnelley, asking to be called just Sarah since she knew Serena wasn't ready to call anyone mom, informed her. The boys gave each other meaningful glances and she could tell Amanda already had a clue

"That sounds great." Was all Serena could manage feeling overwhelmed by the courtesy and charity they were showing her. Her own room full of her very own stuff? She could barely imagine it. Mrs. Donnelley pulled Amanda off to the side as they walked out and they were talking very quickly. Serena heard the words Mall and California many times, but at the nurses station she couldn't listen anymore because she was saying goodbye to the nurses and signing a couple forms.

"Very good Ms. Celeste we'll miss you." A nurse Serena hadn't known told her shaking her hand. She found it odd that someone she hadn't even met would miss her but even so she smiled and said the same. They were almost out the door when Nurse Joy came running up. She had a plastic bag in her hand and she was frantically trying to open it and not trip at the same time.

"Serena, we forgot to give you this. It was something we found on you when you came in. Must have completely slipped my mind. We had to pry it out of your fingers." She said finally getting the zipper of the bag open. Serena's eyes opened wide and she stepped forward with interest. The nurse halted and dumped the contents into Serena's open hands.

A brooch of the most delicate work Serena had ever seen fell into her hands which closed convulsively around it. Like her reflection this also didn't seem quite right but still familiar as she looked over the work. Gold and silver metal formed a rather large heart with a beautiful rose imbedded in it. Somehow the metal of the rose was tinged red but that was the only real color as the heart was gold and the wings on both sides of it silver. Serena ran a finger over the rose tracing the petals and a shiver ran up her spine a soft smile forming on her lips.

"I seem to recognize it." She told the nurse who had been looking for just that answer. "It's mine, I know that much, but I don't know where I got it or anything else." She showed it to Mrs. Donnelley then Amanda who whistled.

"That's real gold Serena, the silver too." She said. Mr. Donnelley nodded after peering at it for a moment.

"She's right. It's very beautiful. Well at least you have something to look for Serena. The jeweler must remember making a piece like that. When we get home I'll scan a picture of it and send it out." He turned away to pick up Michael. Serena stared at it a moment longer. A link to her past, something that she'd had before, maybe a key to finding out who she was. Serena didn't have anywhere to pin it so she put it in a pocket. Maybe she could find a way to put a chain on it and wear it.

"Thank you Nurse Joy, I won't forget this or you." Serena impulsively hugged the woman who seemed a bit startled but returned the hug. Serena waved at the others then turned to follow her new family outside only to find them in an argument. It seemed that everyone wanted to take her home. Serena laughed her beautiful laugh bringing their arguing to a halt.

"Amanda could I possibly ride with you, if your car's here that is? I would like you to tell me about the places we pass as we go home." She said it cautiously, but it did seem the best solution. The older two boys sighed and the younger three grouped with their parents and Amanda, on crutches nodded. "That way I can help you with the crutches too." Serena said appealing to the adults. They also agreed and they trooped off towards the parking lot.

Serena slowed to stay with Amanda who was heading towards one of the loudest colored cars Serena had ever thought she'd seen. It was a eye-smarting fuchsia with pink trim and in the bright sunlight it was almost to hard to look at. The fire engine red and sunburst orange cars next to it were almost as painful.

"How on Earth did someone manage to hit you in that!?" Serena asked as Amanda made her way towards the purple car. The boys snickered and Mr. and Mrs. Donnelley openly laughed.

"We were amazed too. All our children seem to like bright colors." Mr. Donnelley said wrapping his arm around his wife and steering her towards a plain green car parked next to the eye-bright trio. Adam's was the red and Alex's the orange. Amanda opened the door to the purple and handed Serena the crutches while she put down the convertible roof. Serena set the crutches in the back seats, also fuchsia, and got in the front. All of the other cars were convertibles too and soon nine happy faces were smiling at each other as the cars started up.

Serena had the sudden urge to cover her ears, which she was proud to say she didn't do, as each of the cars, including the Donnelley's, was extremely loud. In order they backed up and took off playing follow the leader after the Donnelley's. Amanda quickly started telling Serena about their surroundings as they went through a small town then on into the countryside. The island wasn't large but there was still some room to it as there were plenty of houses and what looked like condos on the ocean-side. A large volcano rose towards the far end of the island towering over everything ominously.

At Serena's query Amanda told her that the Islands had been formed by the same volcano as the tectonic plates slid over the hotspot for thousands of years. Some of the islands still had hot lava flows and if she wanted maybe they could visit one before they went home. It wasn't long before they were pulling up to what Amanda had accurately described as a manor.

There were possibly thirty rooms in the huge building at stood at the top of a long drive. A parking garage stood two stories next to it and they all parked inside. Serena handed Amanda her crutches and the went back out front so she could look at it. The manor wasn't exactly the most fashionable of buildings having been built a long time ago. Each of the wings and extensions were obviously newer since they were in different styles and colored materials. It was big, yes, but not exactly beautiful.

"Isn't much to look like outside but it's great inside. Our manor in California is much better." Amanda said with a voice that said she wasn't bragging just stating a fact. Serena shook her head trying not to go into shock. Better than this? It seemed quite impossible. Yet when she stepped in the front do she found that Amanda had not lied.

Above her a large crystal chandelier was hung with a mass of lights winking between the crystals to illuminate the large foyer. As one would see in the movies there was a large double staircase covered by a deep green and blue carpet that ran along the walls like wings curving out of sight as they ran back into the house. Corridors or hallways ran in five directions out of the foyer itself which was filled with small statues, tables and chairs. It's beautifully patterned wooden floors where polished to a high shine so that Serena could see her reflection when she looked down.

Maids flurried in and around them taking coats and bags from everyone before managing to disappear down those same halls. Serena hung close to Amanda not exactly frightened but extremely unsure of herself where as everyone else seemed to take it as granted that this was how people should act and be treated. Serena tried to keep a happy smile on her face to not look as uncomfortable as she felt but her worries were soon buried behind curiosity as the boys and Amanda took her on a tour of the house.

Her own set of rooms was more than Serena would have ever expected. They were like a large apartment spanning over four rooms. Not including two bathrooms there was a bedroom, computer room, sitting room, and some sort of lounge room where apparently she was expected to house friends if she ever had a sleep-over or such. They hadn't been decorated with anything other than the basic furniture in no discernible color since they would be leaving in two weeks but next summer or perhaps Christmas break Amanda told her that they were going to decorate it. They would start on their shopping trip the next day but they didn't expect her to finish it in only a few scant weeks. Serena could see why.

Her bedroom alone was easily the size of a small house being built on a tier basis as it was. Her bed was set against one wall about head high for her five foot eight and had a short stairway leading up to it while the rest of the room held an enormous television it's own three piece furniture set and a walk in closet almost as large as the bedroom. Serena couldn't imagine owning enough clothes to fill the room but after seeing Amanda's room, she knew it was entirely possible.

In fact the next day Amanda and Mrs. Donnelley set about doing just that. They decided to buy half her wardrobe her and the other half when they knew what the styles back in California were. Serena gladly went along with whatever they said and chose only colors and a few styles that she preferred from the thousands of outfits she was exposed to that day. Instead of spending one day shopping their spree lengthened to fill almost the entire time they had before returning to California.

Amanda giggled at Serena when she looked horrified at the seven trunks of clothes that where hers alone being loaded onto the chartered plane Mr. Donnelley had for them. Amanda had told everyone that because of Serena she would modestly take only ten of her own trunks back with them. Everyone except Serena and of course Amanda laughed at the ridiculous statement. Later when the family boarded the plane Adam privately told Serena that last year Amanda's trunks had been almost twice as numerous. Serena yet again wondered what strange world she had stumbled into.

For the first time she could remember fear gripped her heart. She stood in front of a large room full of students while the teacher tried to command their attention. Serena looked at the foreign faces not knowing anyone since she did not share a grade with any of her adopted siblings. Whistles and catcalls had met her in the hallways, which Amanda had told her to ignore, but enclosed in a classroom with some of those same students she was unable to escape the odd looks and names these people called her. She managed to regain her composure when the students fell silent.

"All right guys," The teacher tried to sound like he was on their side in order to keep their cooperation, "I want to introduce a new student, everyone this is Serena Celeste. I believe you all know the Donnelley's and she is staying with them I would appreciate it if would be kind to her and try to show her the ropes." Mr. Iverson told them pointing to a seat at the front of the class. Serena nodded her thanks and took herself and her book bag to sit at the desk. She noticed that the other students all had a notebook out and their backpacks were slung over their chairs so she imitated them.

"Welcome to Algebra 2 everyone instead of following the usual tradition of taking the first day of school easy we're going to jump right in and take a test." The tall blond man in his early thirties told them. The students around Serena groaned as he walked to the front row of students and counted out tests. They each took one off the top and handed the rest back and Serena sighed uncapping her pen as she looked over hers. She frowned yet again wondering how she was going to pull of this charade.

Back in Hawaii she had been given the placement tests for the private school the others attended but upon first site she realized that she could have easily passed the entire thing. If she did that she wouldn't be able to be in school with her new friends and family and they might make her stay home or something. Instead she snuck a peak at Adams old books and pretended to be about the same skill level. This placed her a two levels above Amanda, one above Alex and one below Adam but she was indeed in school.

What she hadn't realized then was that it wouldn't be easy to fake her lessons. She easily could go through the test before her and ace it. Then they'd place her in a different grade, or class but they'd know she'd faked the test. She grit her teeth and tried to mess up just often enough to not seem out of place. She must have managed for no one said anything to her when at the end of the period they got their tests had been graded but not returned.

To Serena's great relief she discovered that she really did like a couple of her classes mostly English and science. Her history teacher was so boring she fought to keep awake and only the promise of lunch kept her awake. During lunch itself she sat with the Donnelley's and their friends, which almost seemed to Serena to include the entire school as people were always stopping by and saying hello or asking how their summer had gone. No one seemed to dislike them and Serena was content to sit by Amanda and watch them all.

To her great amazement her first assessment of their class schedule wasn't accurate. She did indeed have a class with her newfound siblings for after lunch they shared a music class. Serena hadn't really wanted to sign up for it but Amanda had told her that this year there was some sort of surprise contest involved and she and her older brothers wanted Serena to help them if she could. Arms linked with Alex and Amanda and with Adam trailing behind them they left the cafeteria to roam the halls finally ending up at the choir room. Small tables were set out on the floor each having three or four seats so they all sat down at a table waiting for their teacher arrived.

"Role call." A woman called out as she entered the room. If Serena hadn't known better she would have claimed the teacher was another student as alike as they were in clothing and hair style. She was a petite brunette who seemed to spark interest in everything she did weather it was calling the class role or bringing in a large covered board on wheels. She emanated excitement and the class was soon caught up as well.

"Okay I'm sure we're all wondering what the big deal is." She said as she finally maneuvered the board into place before the class. She had the eyes of all twenty six students when she reached up and pulled the sheet off what wasn't a board, but a advertisement. A tall man was holding up a sign that told about a contest for small bands to compete to have their songs played on a famous radio station. The winners, being chosen by the public, would be the opening act for a famous band next June. The class was silent as they read over the sign and tried to realize what this meant to them.

"It's only for students isn't it?" Serena asked out loud, the first person to recover enough to talk let alone ask questions. The teacher, a Miss Holleywell, flicked her hair over a shoulder and waited for someone else to say something. Amanda was the next to recover.

"We're going to compete... That's the assignment for the year, this competition, I don't even play an instrument." She seemed overly distraught causing her classmates to laugh and break the silence. Quickly there was a large amount of chatter from the other students as the talked it over among themselves. Like any smart women the teacher let them hash it out before continuing.

"Many of you do not have instruments, and don't really know how to sing so what we've done is hired as many tutors and instrumental teachers as we could find to bring each and everyone of you up to par so that you can create the bands specified and later compete. The songs must be completely original along with the music accompaniment but we will have lessons on composing as well so I'm going to give you today to form your groups and we'll start on instruments tomorrow. You will be allowed to change members during the school year if you decide that you don't get along or if you choose to have different skills represented in your band. That and you will need to come up with a name." And with that she waved her hand meaning for them to proceed and left them to it. Amanda quickly took control of their group.

"So what do you say guys?" She asked eyes bright with excitement. Serena ran her fingers through her platinum hair not knowing what to say. She didn't know if she knew any instrument well enough to play it or even if she could sing. She'd never tried, and so let them figure out what was going on. Adam was the first to speak.

"Well I can't vouch for Alex or any of you others, but I have taken lessons in guitar and singing as I know Amanda has and I think we could do it. Amanda has the temperament for drums and I'm fairly sure we could find other instruments that would work well for the rest of you." He placed his hands on the table moving them as he spoke to accent his words to which they all nodded. Alex seemed to think pretty hard while Amanda pretended to play drums on the table.

"I think I could do the base guitar and that's pretty much an essential for a band. I'm not sure what you can do Serena but there's sure to be something. With all those teachers coming in I think they could teach even a monkey to play an instrument, no insult intended, so we should be well balanced." At Alex inference to a musical instrument Serena nodded knowing that she might as well be a monkey as far as she knew. What if she had the voice of a frog?

"Right, sounds good." She put in her two cents and grinned infectiously. This could be fun even if she didn't know anything. It was like learning to walk for the second time maybe she'd be good and not the klutz she seemed to be. Amanda went and got one of the entry forms and started filling out their names she came to a line near the bottom and frowned. "What is it?" Serena asked.  
"Band name... what should we name us?" She asked putting her pen in her mouth which Adam pulled out before she could get a black smear on her lip. She nodded her thanks and reapplied her lipstick. Miss. Holleywell had heard this and came over to the table looking at the form.

"You don't have to worry about that now Ms. Donnelley. There's a good chance that you may get another member into your band and they'd have different ideas for a name. I'd actually suggest that you put it off until the end. You'll get more ideas of your playing style and everything else." She took their form and got the other students attention relaying the same advice to them to which she received a few grateful sighs.

Serena and her group spent the rest of the class thinking up names most of which were ridiculous and silly as Alex had taken it upon himself to give them the most creative and funny name possible. Towards the end of class Serena started tapping her pen against the table. Finally Amanda had enough and grabbed it from her with an inquiry as to what was bothering her.

"Drivers Ed." Serena replied sheepishly. The Donnelley's had enrolled her in the schools drivers education class when they discovered that she didn't know how to drive. Amanda, who was only fifteen, had her license and they didn't see any reason for Serena not to have one as well although unlike the other kids she was not getting trained by ex-racing personnel. Amanda smiled compassionately.

"Aww, it's easy and the instructors are students so you don't have to worry about some stuffy old guy riding the second brake the whole time. Maybe you'll get an instructor you like." She was convinced that Serena wouldn't have a problem with it so when the bell rang Serena didn't drag her feet to the parking lot. Even so she wasn't the first or the last one there. Adam was.

"Hey Serena," Adam's familiar voice called out when the teacher was done describing the procedure for the drivers training. The students would be parcelled out in halves then in five groups of two. The first half would start driving while the second did class work and the next day the positions would be switched. The groups of two were assigned a classmate teacher and a car, which they would drive around the parking-lot for practice. Serena was in the second half and was waiting to be told her teacher.

"You're with me." He said walking over to her clipboard and car keys in hand. The sun glinted off his reddish hair and he had a devilish grin on his face that Serena wasn't quite sure she trusted. There was some joke going on here that she wasn't quite getting.

"My other driver isn't here today so it's just me and you and the car so let's get going." She didn't have a choice but to follow him to a blue Mercury Topaz that needed a new paint job, badly. It had seen better days and both fenders were damaged.

"Well at least I can't hurt it to much." She muttered to herself as Adam stood beside the drivers side door dangling the keys over the open window. Serena took them wishing she could figure out what his grin was for but instead she followed the directions her drivers manual had laid out starting with a walk around the car to check for obstacles and or people who might be in the way. Following that she got in the car, adjusted the seat and put her seat belt on and waited for Adam's word on what to do.

"Just start the car and we'll go around the parking-lot a couple times to see what you know and what you don't." He told her strapping himself beside her. Serena did just that carefully and cautiously maneuvering the car expertly. "You sure you've never driven a car before?" Adam asked surprise coloring his voice. Serena had know way of knowing and told him so. With a shrug Adam set her on a set of more difficult obstacles which Serena managed with just as much expertise. When she was done their class time was up so Adam gave her the next days assignments and sent her back to her locker to pick up Amanda.

After dinner that night she was reading through her assignment and looking at a page on her computer confusion written all over her face. Alex, looking for Amanda found her like this.

"It's this Drivers Ed. Assignment." She told him holding the page out for him to see. "It says that there are only five major fluids, but if you read through the design schematics for the car there are at least seven." Alex looked at her with a strange look on his face.

"You're saying that you found the schematics for the car you're using in Drivers Ed. to work on your assignment? And you understand them?" He looked at her computer screen to affirm what was actually there. Serena looked between the computer and Alex a few times before nodding.

"It's quite simple really, it's not a complicated car but the questions the assignment give me aren't accurate." She sighed dejectedly her eyes pleading for help. Alex opened her school book and pointed out where the answers were.

"You're right about the car, but the answers they want are from the book and in order to pass I suggest that you give them the ones they want. As for the truth, Adam and I happen to love the mechanics of cars so you can ask one of us for help." He handed her book back but Serena already had questions to ask and she flipped through the pages on her screen and pointed to another diagram.

She and Alex were quickly absorbed by their conversation which lasted much later into the night and covered much more material than just her school book.

It turned out that Serena's instrument was a keyboard and although she didn't sing quite like a frog, she wasn't Paveratti. She not only had her school tutor but the Donnelley's quickly hired a singing tutor for both her and Amanda when they caught word of the contest. With intensive lessons and training she and Amanda quickly got much better almost to the point of actual stars.

Her driving lessons continued along with her late night discussions with Alex and Adam about the mechanical aspects of cars. They soon had her looking under the hoods of real ones and taught her as much as they themselves knew about automobiles and soon it became apparent why they had such an interest in it. Late October Serena passed her drivers class and got her license.

The Donnelley's rewarded her with a car that Adam Amanda and Alex picked out. It was a baby blue Supra with pink trim, thankfully not a loud color like theirs, and Serena fell in love with it at first sight. One night when their parents were gone Alex Adam Amanda and Serena snuck out of the house to their cars and she followed them deep into the city where she finally realize what Amanda's cryptic remark months ago about where they spent their free time made sense.

Over fifty cars of different makes and models lined the sides of the road hoods open and owners milling around both their cars and their neighbors. Serena had never seen so many different styles of body kits and ground effects for some of the most popular cars on the market. Between fiber optic kits and halogen lights the road was lit up like a carnival sidewalk but Adam and Alex drove past it all so Serena who had Amanda in the passenger seat followed them like she'd been told.

She felt excitement tingle throughout her body making her senses heightened. Each and every sound, color, smell and sight stood out in painful relief and she took it all in like a drunkard given a fresh bottle of wine. Finally at the head of the line Adam pulled over and Amanda motioned for her to pull in besides him and get out. Amanda reached over and popped the hood and Serena got out quickly so she could set it up on it's prop rod. A curious few people started moving over checking over not only her but the Donnelley's as well. She realized this was the reason Amanda had told her to dress as she had.

Serena's short platinum hair was held back by soft blue and pink clips effectively keeping it out of her eyes while matching her skintight blue tank-top and equally tight black velvet pants with their blue and pink flowers on the waist and hem. She wore regular black shoes with thin soles so she could feel the pedals of her car through them. It was so she'd be able to drive better and still look good. The implications of this left Serena a little stunned and when Adam moved to stand next to her she practically jumped having not heard him approach.

"What exactly is this?" She asked him her voice shaking just a bit. Adam rested a comforting arm on her shoulders and gave them a small squeeze before taking a deep breath to reply.

"It's a street race, exactly. Three to five people take their cars and start at the red line," He pointed to where two girls were painting a red line on the asphalt of the road just beyond the cars, "and go to the finish line, a whole quarter mile." He then traced his hand along the road to where another couple of girls were painting a bright yellow line. Two men in chairs were sitting alongside the lines and Serena could tell that they were the judges.

"Tonight it's a five car race. Yours, mine, and three others. I want you to remember back to your classes and when I showed you the tricks to shifting faster. I was teaching you as best I can the finer points to racing and Amanda's going to ride with you to show you how to work the nitrous system that's hidden in the console. Alex told me that you've read up on them and you know the theory of 'em. Amanda well tell you what to do, and I think you've actually got a good chance of winning this." He was talking out of the side of his mouth as though to keep everyone else from knowing what he was saying and Serena could only stand there in the shelter of his arms and look up at him dazed.

This whole thing had been planned without her knowing about it. She'd only had her car for two weeks and she'd never known there was a nitrous system on board and she thought she knew a lot about cars. How had they managed to pull this over on her? They've been racing for years. The thought came unbidden from the depths of her mind. Yes, that made sense. Adam at least was old enough to have been racing for almost four years and she supposed that they had just wanted to include her in their lives.

She didn't have much time to think about it because Amanda was heading her way, but as she looked up at Adam she felt something overcome her. Not just a deep need to measure up to her families expectations of her, but to excel at it. Adam was right, she in only a few months knew more about this than many people who claimed to be mechanics. She could do this, and do it well. With a bright grin and her cerulean eyes gleaming she gave Adam a thumbs up and ducked out from under his arm to face Amanda what was a bit hesitant.

"I'm not mad Manda, " She said much to the girls relief, "But I do need to see that system. I don't want to get caught by my own ignorance." She said slinging her arm around Amanda who grinned and lead her to the car. Before getting in Serena looked back at Adam for a moment to catch his eye. "Hey Adam, what's the prize?" She asked knowing that they weren't just racing for the hell of it.

"Three thousand clams. Enough to get that new keyboard and synth you wanted." He told her with a knowing look. She hadn't needed the extra incentive but it wouldn't hurt. Quickly she launched herself into the drivers seat to find Amanda already folding out the console in the middle of her steering wheel. There was a LCD and three buttons, one green, one yellow, and one red. Serena quickly looked it over and realized it was a completely customized kit that had been programmed just for her. She silently thanked who ever set it up and began making her own changes so that it would alert her when she reached a certain rpm and temperatures. Amanda watched approvingly and handed a roll of money out her window to a person who moved on to Adam's car where he did the same.  
"We're spotting you this time, but after this you'll have to pay your own way." Amanda told her when she was done with the console. "Adam and I have a fund in the bank, we'll get you a joint account so you can keep the money you win somewhere safe, and after this we'll probably not be in the same races. There's four a week and we can all take turns so we don't race each other." They had this all set out and Serena instead of being mad was grateful. She nodded before getting out and putting down the hood. Everyone else was doing the same and she quickly took her seat again before turning on her car.

"You sure you want to stay in here with me Amanda?" She asked realizing that the girl probably wasn't to comfortable in cars since her leg had been broken but the girl was happily going through the packet of CD's she'd brought before finally picking one out. Serena didn't see which one she had chosen since someone with a flag was signaling her to take her place at the red line.

Quickly she went around in a circle pulling up two car down from Adam. She didn't want him distracting her and that would be the case should she be able to clearly see him. Amanda put the CD in and sat back making sure her seat belt was secure before giving Serena a thumbs up. Serena took a pair of pink tinted shades from the holder on the visor and placed them on her nose. The others were revving their engines but Serena didn't bother wasting fuel. She knew full well that her car was warmed up and it's different systems were prepared for anything.

A young woman about 17 maybe dressed in florescent green walked out to the space between all cars on the side of the road. There was no missing her or the bright green flare she was holding in her hands. As it was the flare was unlit but she held it up in the air signaling for them to get ready. Serena tapped her foot on the pedal and getting a nice resounding rumble from her car. She tapped her fingernails on the shifter head and counted down under her breath. Amanda held the remote to the CD player in her hands eyes focused on the girl as well.

Her mind taking everything in slow motion Serena blinked slowly and watched the girl raise her second arm then lower the one with the flare striking it against her leg where it exploded in a fountain of sparks. Serena had already shifted into first and letting the clutch out she floored the gas her wheels spinning on the asphalt. Moments later they gripped in and the torque pulled the steering wheel to the side but she was prepared for the jump and pulled it back on track.

Still in slow motion she watched as Amanda hit play and the car blasted with music but that didn't distract her as she was already shifting into third, then fourth. She was at optimum speed before she knew it and the console was timing down to the first nitrous burst. They were both thrown back in the seats moments after she set the first one off but it was worth the strained next as they lost two cars.

The next burst brought her neck and neck with Adam but the line was fast approaching and she knew he was the better driver. With a smile she waited till a moment after he set off the last burst to set off her own catapulting herself over the line barely a fender in front of Adam.

Amanda squealed loudly bringing Serena back to herself and she slowly drove around in a large circle stopping to park next to Adam yet again. He was receiving the roll of money from whoever had been holding it and as Serena stepped out of her car, putting her shades on the top of her head, he ceremoniously handed her the roll. The crowd cheered loudly as Serena took it and a hug from the brother she had just beaten.


	5. The Unforseen

            "No no no. Composition is not just poetry! It's rhythm and meaning, emotion and feeling put into words and music. All you've done here is put words in a string and tried to make them sound pretty." Their composition teacher was insightful, intelligent, inspired, and incredibly harsh when others music didn't measure up to his standards. Yet another dejected group moved back from the small set up in the middle of the room shuffling their papers between them and shooting meaningful looks at one of their members.

Serena moved her arm to cover the sheet music set on the table before her. Similar copies were in front of her family members each written for the instruments they had chosen and learned to play, but this particular song was special in a personal way to Serena. After over six months of lessons and training the day of the competition was drawing ever closer and finally they had decided that this was the piece they were going to play for it. She'd written it one night when she'd been woken by her troubled dreams. That in turn was exactly what they had named it.

"Okay. Ms. Celeste and the Donnelley's would you please come up here and take your places?" Dr. Francis Bronco stood at a small podium with the doors to his back and the rest of the classroom, including the set, before him. His command was met with snickers from the rest of the class who all knew that their group had yet to come up with anything he'd even considered decent. This was their last chance at redemption and as they took their places and the lights in the room dimmed they all hoped or prayed silently that this would win him over.

Serena herself keyed up the keyboard making sure she had the right synth and tone before nodding to the others that she was ready. Each placed their hands over their instruments but no one else began as Serena slowly and precisely keyed out the melody. Amanda, who sat at the drums, began singing weaving her voice around Serena's melody and Serena, who they'd decided wasn't going to sing but hum, hummed along and the world outside their small stage disappeared.

"How is it I see you night after night,

"Yet your face and your name never come to light,

"Tossing and turning night after night

"I just want to see you to know you're all right."

The first four lines were soft and slow like any soft love song and at their conclusion Serena lowered the volume as she finished the melody and everything was brought down to a close. Simultaneously they all rose their eyes fixing a silent gaze at nothing particular but the effect was that they were looking at each and every one of the students as they stood there in almost complete silence. Everyone missed the flick of Serena's hand as she turned the keyboard and amplifiers to near maximum. The only warning was a single guitar chord before they blast out in to a full out song everyone singing or humming.

"Troubled dreams are all I have of you,

"The dreams of a soul lost girl lead me on

"Troubled dreams are all I need to follow

"Dreams that lead me home, oh please take me home

"These dreams bring me to the brink of knowledge but

"Toss me in the depths of despair

"Troubled dreams lead me in the night but

"The road seems to have no end

"These dreams must go somewhere must bring me home."

And here the music faded for a moment then they turned up the volume for the next verse.

"These dreams have a path for me, a meaning to be set clear

"Oh how I need to find you now, need to find and bring you near

"Please lead me on, on a road to find you

"In the dark and stormy nights your heart is so clear.

This time the music faded and did not come back up. Each instrument dropped off, each vocal disappeared until there was just Serena and her keyboard. By this point she was so far into the music she didn't even realize that she was singing alone. They had decided that the low gravely burr of her voice was the perfect ending for such a short song because it portrayed a better sense of finality. Knowing that her voice was nothing to Amanda's she'd finally given in.

"How is it I see you night after night,

"Yet your face and your name never come to light,

"Tossing and turning night after night

"I just want to see you to know you're all right."

"These dreams that you send me throughout the troubled night

"Are they a warning or a promise oh dark knight.

"Raven's wing and cold crystal blue light

"These trouble dreams give me hope for the fight.

She hummed the melody as it wound down to a pregnant silence. The lights on the stage came up but no one said a thing making the group restless as they each set down their instruments and turned off the electronic equipment getting the stage ready for whoever was next. When done they stood looking at the teacher who was standing at his podium the oddest look on his face as he stared directly at Serena.

She felt the scrutiny and wondered if she had something on her face or her hair, which now hung over her ears and sort of fanned out around her head, was standing strait on end. Maybe she'd gotten food on her best baby blue sweater or some dirt on the fuzzy tight pants she'd worn to match. Each she checked quickly but no nothing was out of place. The teacher opened his mouth a couple times and Serena wondered if finally he was going to say something. Probably yell at them for something.

"Copper Moons and the Silver Star." The teacher finally managed to get out and he pointed to each of them in turn. None of red heads got it. Serena looked at them each in turn and realized that the three red heads could be taken as copper haired, and she herself had almost silver hair. She got his meaning but tried not to make a face.

"A group name sir? Isn't that kind of odd?" She asked knowing that not in a million years would she have come up with something that sounded so out of place. Yet somehow it did indeed fit them and the differences they had between each other. The teacher was saved from answering from the bell ringing and as though on cue, Serena and the others promptly forgot about the class and their teachers weird suggestion.

Each of them had a race that night and after some rude comments by some of their fellow students/racers they each wanted to go over their cars and make sure nothing went wrong.

Surprised at herself yet again Serena drove home on the almost empty highway some soft music on her stereo and the wind ruffling her hair. The prize had been double tonight, the race much larger and longer than normal, a half mile instead of the normal quarter and almost twice as many racers were allowed to enter. She'd been nervous at first but as always she felt at home in her car, the sound of the motor music to her ears, something she almost wouldn't want to do without. She'd won with ease much to the dislike of many other racers and this time she'd even received a couple very nasty threats.

As the memory crossed her mind Serena double checked her rear view mirror doing a double take when she thought she saw three exact copies of a car driving side by side gaining on her which was odd enough since she was going fifteen over the speed limit. She rechecked her speed then the mirror and they were indeed gaining. They switched lanes so that one of them was still behind her but the other two would go around her left leaving her right open only to the side of the road and a large gully that separated the directions of traffic.

They were going to try and run her off the road. She realized this long before the first car came even with her rear bumper. Going faster on this road was nearly impossible. Not only would it be reckless but her ground effects kit was fiberglass and wouldn't stand up to the wind sheer. She couldn't accelerate and because of the car behind her she couldn't break without causing more damage and possible injury.

When faced with possible damage or death, not to herself, but to others around her Serena didn't even question her actions as she sought the best way to keep from them to getting hurt. If she fought back, tried to move her car forward or to the left it was possible that they would slam on their breaks or go off the other side of the road. It was a three lane highway but there were so few cars on the road that a trip to the other side would be unimpeded. There was only dirt and scrub brush on that side but that didn't necessarily mean someone wouldn't flip over or get thrown from their car.

Frantically she searched her mind for any memory of this stretch of asphalt that might help her but all she could dredge up was the construction that had been covering the road last time she'd driven it. Wait, the construction!

Originally there had been over a hundred feet of asphalt poured off the right side of the road for a detour when a bridge had been repaired over another road. If memory served her right, and it always did, that bottom road was now closed for construction but the bridge was complete and the detour still in place. If she could keep her car on the road until then she doubted the other drivers knew it was there and she might be able to pull off there.

With no other turnoffs for five miles they wouldn't be able to come back for her without turning around and by that time Alex and the others should be on their way home as well. Serena seriously regretted not staying there for the party but she'd been really tired and wanted to go home with her winnings and plan out what she was going to do with the money. Now she'd be lucky if she lived that long.

Up ahead the bridge appeared and as far as the three other cars knew they had Serena right where they wanted her. One red car with red tinted windows as in front of her while there was another on the left side and the third was behind her. They had effectively blocked off her only real means of escape and she realized that they were starting to slow a little. They were planning on stopping on the bridge where she had no means of escaping them. What they planned to do to her then she didn't know but rape and a good beating weren't out of the question. Both of those had been suggestions for possible pay back earlier.

Serena showed no signs of stopping and the rear bumper of the car in front of her was getting closer and closer. Knowing that her car was going to be totaled no matter what she did Serena decided that they could do with a little damage to their cars as well, and maybe it was something to catch them by. She scrabbled with her purse finally finding an old receipt to right on and a pen. Quickly she put down a description of the Honda Civics, their maneuvers and her plan, the one she could see had no license plate but it would quickly be noticed in a garage or auto body shop.

This paper along with her roll of money she placed in the secret compartment in the steering wheel. All of the steering wheels the Donnelley's used had such devices to keep valuables and wallets and they were all fireproof, waterproof, and supposedly bomb proof. They could only be unlocked by an electronic key of which the Donnelley's kept extras at the house so someone would be able to find the note.

Before she was ready they had reached the point where they would either have to slow her down or go past the bridge the outlet for the detour near at hand. It had been blocked off with big orange barrels but that wasn't much trouble to get through. The front of her car finally met with the other sending a jolt through the entire vehicle but she held on fighting the pull of the wheel. Once more the two cars met and Serena had to wrench on the wheel to unlock them and whispering a quick prayer she pulled hard.

Orange barrels went over and under her car the tires spitting them out behind and her windshield web-lined with cracks. Serena couldn't see much and she started breaking. A jolt ripped through her Supra making her entire body ache with whiplash while she looked out the rear unbroken mirror.

The Civic behind her had instead of going strait, followed her and the driver seemed intent on pushing her forward to where she couldn't see. Serena tried using her breaks to slow down but the car kept pushing and although they were decreasing speed it wasn't nearly fast enough. Her car started turning to the side pushed into it when they tried to turn her. At still almost sixty miles an hour she was going to roll if they pushed the car just right and that was exactly where she was going.

Making a quick decision she pulled hard on her steering wheel opposite direction of the turn and lifted sharply on the emergency break sending herself into a spin away from the civic. She heard it slam on it's breaks but she was to concerned with the dizzying spin and with her limited vision she never saw the four foot cement wall that plowed into the front of her car. She did feel it though along with the shattering crunch of the Civic hitting her. Her body was just one large pain she couldn't move her legs since they were crushed by the dash that was squashed down.

Her arms were limp like she couldn't force the energy into them and her head throbbed. Something sharp and hot sliced her head and her vision was soon clouded with a hot liquid. She heard footsteps crunch on the glass on the ground and she turned to look but couldn't make out a face.

"Well, _darlin_ just look where you got yerself." Whoever it was had a southern drawl and they set their hands on the open window besides Serena. She tried to spit at him but it ended up dribbling down her chin. They laughed a cold heartless laugh at the sight of her so helpless and that's exactly what she was. "You deserved it you Bich and I hope you now realize what you've done." Serena had no clue what he was talking about nor did she really care. All she was worried about was weather or not he was going to drag her from the car and do something worse.

Just then one of his buddies showed up and yelled for him to leave, which thankfully he did whistling the song she'd sung in class that day. Somehow Serena doubted that they would want to be anywhere nearby when the authorities or help showed up and she felt them pulling their car away from hers. She waited what she thought was forever slipping in an out of consciousness before another car pulled up. It wasn't her family but a stranger that came upon the scene of a little car it's model and driver almost indiscernible because of the damage. Serena passed out again before any emergency teams showed up.

Usagi woke up in the hospital a couple times but each time there were tubes in her throat so she couldn't say anything or ask any questions. The people all around her were strange and alien, the people spoke in a language she wasn't familiar with and everything was so out of place. Each time she woke though she was to tired to fight or she hurt to much. What had happened to her, how had she ended up in the place? The last thing she remembered was the plane accident and using her powers to keep it from crashing. What had happened after that? Where was she? Quietly a cool and soothing voice comforted her.

_It's not time to wake up Usagi, I promised everything would be right, and it will be. Go back to sleep, rest, get better._ She wanted to sleep but she also wanted to know what was going on. She was so curious but so so tired. _Sleep Usagi, trust me. Everything will be explained in time but that time is not now._ And so with Serenity's voice in her mind Usagi willingly went back to the depths where she dreamt wonderful dreams and lived someone else's life.

"Serena!" Amanda squealed when finally her sister opened her eyes with a look of comprehension instead of confusion or utter delirium. Serena's eyes wandered over the room until the sounds she heard finally formed themselves into comprehensible words and she knew she was being spoken to.

"Amanda?" She asked. Her throat was raw and the muscles felt unused. Slowly and painfully she raised her hand to her neck to massage it. She couldn't have missed the I.V. running to her from the rack on the wall. She hurt so much that she could have willingly slept and never woke up. But that wasn't her nature so after closing her eyes briefly she opened them back up and looked at her sister. She looked worried but happy.

"Finally, your awake. It's been almost a week." Amanda told her moving her chair on the right side of Serena's bed closer so the girl didn't have to try to talk so loud. She also helped Serena get a drink from a cup of water with a straw. It helped a little bit.

"What happened?" Serena asked taking in her leg in a cast and propped up by a sling hanging from the roof. Her ribs were wrapped tightly till it was hard to breath, not that it didn't hurt anyway, and her left arm was also wrapped from the shoulder down but not cast. There was an air cast supporting her wrist which she couldn't move and it hurt to even try such a move. Her head was a dull throb and a small bit of gauze was hanging over the edge of her eyesight.

"Well we found your note, but the police haven't been able to find the three red cars. If the damage was as bad as you say they probably took the one that was wrecked and tossed it in a junkyard. None of the body shops have reported anything that would be similar and for the price offered even these guys best friends would turn them in." Amanda gave her another sip of water so she could talk.

"I'm not surprised. One of them had a southern accent but I couldn't see him, there was something in my eyes." She tried to raise her hand to her head remembering the sharp and hot pain, but she didn't have enough energy and painfully it fell to the blanket. Amanda looked on sympatheticly.

"Shrapnel, well a piece of metal from their car went through the back window and sliced off a good portion of your scalp." She motioned on her own head outlining a good portion almost half the left side. "The doctor said it would heal and the skin would grow back but until then you have to keep it covered and it may or may not grow hair again. As for the rest of you, the fractured wrist and broken leg are only the beginning."

"Your a very lucky young woman." A doctor stood in the doorway having heard Amanda start in on Serena's injuries. The woman, a Dr. Noraway didn't look much older than Serena herself and was only a bit taller than Amanda was. She had a soft brown hair held back by a barrette and equally soft eyes and she wore her lab coat over a comfortable pair of slacks and sensible shirt. She was someone Serena would expect to see in a mall not a hospital.

"The internal injuries weren't as bad as they could have been and your and astonishingly fast healer which might just be what saved your life. A broken rib had punctured a couple of your organs but when we got it they weren't life threatening anymore. Your head, the arm and your leg will take much more time though and I'm afraid that you'll be in a wheelchair for the better part of three months. Your hip took some serious damage when the passenger seat decided to switch with your own." She looked at Serena's I.V then placed a comforting hand on the girls shoulder.

"On the bright side you will fully recover from an accident which most wouldn't have survived and there was no permanent damage to your skull. After the physical therapy I'd say you'll be back to normal in maybe five to six months. Until then take it easy." She smiled and took Serena's chart.

"No saving the world for me then. What a bummer." Serena joked to which she got laughs. The doctor went over her checking her eyes and ears, even her nose. She also ordered some throat lozenges for Serena who had long since given up trying to talk. Once she was satisfied she told Serena she'd be back later and left. Amanda sat back in her chair.

"Geeze Serena you could have died." She whispered. Serena who thought that maybe the lozenges would have helped by now nodded and replied.

"You think I don't know that? I guess all those stories about kids thinking they're invincible is true. I just wish that they'd caught those creeps that did this. I think it's someone in our choir class though. The one that talked to me was whistling our song." She had run out of water and Amanda left to get her one. She came back with Alex who had some juice cartons and ice. Serena chose an apple juice with plenty of the cold ice and it helped much more than water had.

"Amanda says you think we know him. Alex said after going over the normal concerns for her health and such. Serena nodded and Amanda repeated the part about the whistling. "But no one in that class is southern that I know of, we'll have to ask the administrator for help checking the files." He said grabbing a seat for himself. Amanda agreed with him but Serena didn't know if that would be any help. This all just seemed so orchestrated, planned. Whoever it was wasn't going to be caught so easily.

"Now who let this gorgeous woman left with these two mongrels." Joseph remarked lightening the mood in the room. He had a bouquet of flowers in a cup which at her peal of happiness he handed over to Serena to smell. They were miniature roses a soft pink and white and she loved them.

"Hardly gorgeous." She told him. "More like the troll under the bridge." She said to Mr. Donnelley and glaring at Adam who came in behind him. Adam had held out his arms and started stomping around before bonking Alex with an invisible club. He glared back until Serena had to look away. Her head hurt.

"Well troll or know you still look beautiful to me. So how's the glop in here. I overheard somewhere that the nursing home is jealous of the food that the patients get." He asked Serena but she hadn't eaten yet and told him so. They talked about a couple other things before the nurse came and kicked them out. Adam, the last one out, turned under the doorframe and looked at her. She looked back and would have raised an eyebrow in question but she wasn't sure she had them.

"We're all really glad you pulled through Serena, life wouldn't have been the same without you. See ya troll." He winked before leaving and Serena smiled at the closed door before settling back on her bed and falling asleep.


	6. Troubles and Triumphs

(I wouldn't have written this chapter if it hadn't been for some inspiration from a review someone wrote me. I'm sure you know who you are, and I thank you.)

Pain ripped through his body so early in the morning that the sun hadn't quite risen yet and the room was dark. His chest, his legs and his arm around the wrist hurt with an intense pain and he gasped for breath eyes clenched shut. After what must have been an hour or two the pain lessened and he could breathe again. His head was light and dizzily he swung his sore legs over the edge of his bed and tried to stand up. The first time he failed but holding on to a chair he'd dragged over from his desk, he was able use it as a walker and slowly move into the bathroom.

There were no bruises, no marks of any sort but the pain was very real and almost crippling. He had no clue what was causing this, no idea what-so-ever but he did know who to ask. Pulling a faintly pink communicator from his pocket he pressed the blue button and waited for a few moments. Ami was up, thankfully, and at his request she informed him that she would be right over. With his walker Mamoru made it to the door to unlock it then to the couch to rest. He didn't get up when Ami knocked just yelled that the door was open.

The young Sailor Mercury walked in the room wearing her fuku and carrying her computer showing just how seriously she'd taken Mamoru's call. Dark blue hair and dangling silver and blue earrings framed her face her hair barely to her chin now and the earrings her own and not part of the uniform. Her eyes were clouded, her face red from exertion and Mamoru realized he had woken her up.

"I'm sorry about this." He told her but they both knew he had no one else to call. Who in their right mind would believe that he was having such extreme pain for no reason at all? No doctor would, and as a doctor to be, Mamoru knew that better than anyone. Ami shrugged and pulled on her ear calling up the visor that covered her eyes. Data quickly formed on the computer screen and she typed away with two fingers the buttons so small she could barely hit the right ones.

"Well according to this you've nothing wrong with you, but your endorphin count is extremely high. Your immune system is acting like you've been in injured badly but there is no damage to any of your tissues or bones. I suggest some pain medication, narcotics for the pain if you have any, but other than that there isn't much I can do. Call work, take the day off." She snapped her computer shut and the visor disappeared.

"Can I make you some tea or something?" She asked leaning over him and checking his eyes which had deep circles around them. Mamoru, used to her scrutiny, shook his head and managed to get up on his own to feet to see her to the balcony. In her fuku it would look less strange than if she were to walk down the hall.

"No, no please don't bother. I'm sure you have work to do, how's the internship going by the way?" He leaned on the doorframes and walls rather heavily but Ami didn't try to help him and finally they reached the sliding glass door. Mamoru had to take a small rest before opening it.

"About as well as one could expect. I'm only in my first year, they didn't expect me to finish high school in six months so me being so young throws them off. I'm sure you have an easier time of it being somewhat the expected age for such a course." She tucked the strands of hair hanging by her ear back so she could get a better look at him in the morning light.

Being a scout had kept him fit but he looked malnourished and under fed. She was certain that he wasn't eating well, if at all, none of them were really but they all knew that they had to go on, something in the notes Usagi had written them seemed to suggest hope for the future. It seemed that Mamoru had forgotten it.

"That's true enough, but I'm going into pediatrics not neurology. I'm expected to learn how to tell if a child has chicken pox or measles not find brain tumors and aneurisms. Anyway I'm sure you'll do just fine, you always have." A cool breeze came in through the open door and Mamoru rocked back on his feet almost being pushed over. That alone would have made Ami say something.

"You know Mamoru, if there's any hope... any chance of us finding the princess again we need you in this world, not another." Ami told him in a voice barely over a whisper. Mamoru's eyes grew wide with shock at hearing someone talk about her in front of him. Everyone had avoided it ever since that fateful day. "See you at the concert." She said before taking a running leap off the balcony.

Mamoru continued to stand there, the wind trying to knock him over while he thought about the words. They were so familiar, so... He turned abruptly and walked as though with no pain to the dresser to pull out a scrap of paper. Holding it carefully he made his way back to his bed eyes running over the writing for what must have been the millionth time.

-Till the next lifetime-

It meant something very important; Usako wouldn't have written those words if they meant nothing. Something else in his memory made him think of a time when he'd been sitting on his couch with Usagi talking about Beryl and the scouts dying. With startling clarity he remembered how she was sitting with his head in her lap. She'd been twirling his hair in her fingers and he'd been paying more attention to the feeling than her words but they'd struck him as odd and a little frightening.

"It's as though I'd gone through one lifetime with the scouts and now it was time for another. Each time we've died and been reborn or returned to our lives it isn't just continuing where we left off. Each time we're different, we're new. It's a new lifetime and one I can share with everyone around me. I think that's why we keep finding each other." She'd sighed softly and Mamoru noted that she had a certain look about her, the one where she was thinking thoughts much to mature for her, ahead of her time. But still they had always been Usako's.

If each time she'd died and returned to him she'd started a new life then that meant that if she'd died on the airplane, or if she'd used the crystal to save it, she would have started another life or still would. How many times now had the crystal returned her, them all, to where they belonged?

Something in Mamoru's eyes brightened just a bit and he looked over the scrap of paper then put it back on his dresser next to the sparkling and brilliant scepter. The gems on it seemed to wink at him in a way that reminded him of her eyes and how they always sparkled when they shared something. She hadn't meant that they'd meet after he died, she'd meant that they'd meet again when she returned to life. It would happen, she had said so.

Mamoru looked at himself in the mirror over his dresser and critically noticed his appearance and scrutinizing every detail. He knew that he was not the man who had pushed Usako away because of a dream. Now he was a man haunted by the dream of what they could have been together and what he'd lost. No longer! Mamoru swore to himself right then and there that he would change. He had to take care of himself, he had to do all he could so that when his beloved returned to him he would be worth of the gift she'd offered and he'd turned down.

Ami had been wise in her words and she spread them to the rest of the senshi keeping them going despite their losses and troubles. As she'd hoped they banded together keeping each other's spirits alive. Hope for the hopeless, dreams for those without sleep.

"Damn girl." Mrs. Holleywell exclaimed using the slang voice to go with it. She looked over her desk at Serena who was happily on her own two feet and back in school for the first time in months. Mrs. Holleywell sat behind the desk in one of her usual outfits, this one a black dress with black leather boots and a choker and earrings to match. Serena was in a summer sweater of a soft baby blue with white pants and a pair of blue canvas shoes.

"It's good to be back." Serena said in the way of a response. Although she and the others had been practicing their songs for the contest, now only two days away, she hadn't been to any of her classes and she missed this one especially.

"I thought you were going to be out for months and miss the competition." The teacher said standing up so she could make sure that indeed her student was in one whole peace. Serena smiled and pretended to do a little circle just for her before chuckling.

"I'm a quick healer, have been for as long as I remember. I just wanted to stop in and make sure that your coming to the competition on Thursday." She hoisted her book bag on her shoulder when it started slipping. Mrs. Holleywell nodded emphatically. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. Besides I hear that they're going to announce something special after they've picked a winner." Her eyes lit up with some secret but Serena knew she wasn't going to share. She went to run a hand through her hair, like she always had, but stopped short just before she got to it. Her scalp, more tender than ever was re-growing hair but it was only an inch or two long. She'd cut the rest to match but was mad because she'd been trying to grow it a little longer for the contest.

"I can't believe all this happened to you Serena." The woman said thoughtfully noticing the gesture and looking for herself at Serena's head. "First the amnesia and then this, whoever wanted to get you sure as hell did." She waved at Serena herself who nodded.

"That they did. But they didn't stop me, nor will they. We're gunna win the competition you just wait." She said with as much energy as she could muster.

"That's the spirit girl." Her teacher grinned as Serena left knowing that one day that girl would make something of herself.

"What do you mean not working, we just unloaded it!" Amanda's voice was rather high pitched drawing the attention of those around her including Serena's from where she'd been talking to the equipment crew. She climbed on the stage behind her foster sister where Adam and Alex were trying to show her something. An amp, their newest, lay on its side the back panel obviously crushed and the speaker cone along with the wires that lead to the controls were badly mangled.

"Someone trashed it." Alex said in a low tone meant only for them, but of course someone heard it and soon there were whispers all over the place. Serena stared at amp for a moment then went over to some of their other equipment, mainly to check out her keyboard. She didn't need to touch it, there was some fluid dripping from the casing and the thing was plugged in. Power and liquid don't mix. She moved on to the rest of the electronic equipment.

"It's all destroyed." She announced. "Every last bit of it. And the songs were recorded in the synth." She felt the weight of complete defeat try and settle on her heart as she turned to the others. A small wind ruffled her hair and blew over the stage chilling her despite the warm sunny day and the equipment crew that were standing there were not sure what to say.

"You can share ours, we're on right before you." One of their fellow students, a girl by the name of Chalice, spoke up for their group. She was a plain girl with brown eyes and soft auburn hair but she'd always been nice and had a good singing voice. "You have a good half an hour before the show starts and probably another hour while the other bands play to reprogram a recording for the keyboard if you need to and your instruments except for the keyboard are okay right?" That thought inspired the boys to check out their guitars which were fine.

"Thank you very much..." Serena started to accept.

"No No NO!" Someone had finally dragged the equipment manager backstage and he had just heard the last bit of their discussion. The person who had fetched him was the one complaining, a taller boy with white blond hair and a deep tan almost the same shade as his eyes. He had a ferocious look about him that gave Serena the chills.

"The rules state that we must each have our own equipment, if you don't have equipment you just can't compete." As he spoke Serena's eyes widened then snapped to a slits where she peered at the boy but more listened. He had the southern accent and the melodic voice she'd heard before. He was undoubtedly one of the saboteurs as well.

"Well that is true, you do have to have your own..." The manager looked really unhappy to be put in this position as more students were showing up from their own rehearsals at other parts of the stage.

"We have back up equipment!" Amanda burst out startling them all just a bit. "It's at home but we can race home and get it we should be back in plenty of time." That caused a dark look from the young man but the equipment manager seemed to love the idea.

"That's wonderful. Two of you go and fetch it while the other two remain, but remember it all has to be ready for your turn, we'll put you last just to be sure." He made the change on the clipboard he'd been carrying and with the mean looking young man trying to make him change his mind they left.

"Adam and Amanda stay here, Alex and I will get the stuff." Serena took charge automatically pulling her keys out of her pocket. No one contested so she and Alex headed out. Getting out of the parking lot took almost longer than getting to the house and back in the van they'd switched to at home. They did manage to grab their older amps, Serena's first keyboard, and equalizer. In forty-five minutes they were back at the rear entrance of the stage unloading their stuff while the first band was warming up.

"That was him." Serena managed to tell the others as she'd told Alex in the car. "That guy with the manager was the one at the accident." They each turned to try and spot the guy but he was gone.

"We'll keep an eye on him but we have to get going or we'll never be ready in time." Adam said as he led the way to a slightly secluded place he had procured for them. They ran through their song helped along by some half written scores Amanda had found in one of her folders until they felt positive that they could play on stage without a problem. Serena didn't even feel the need to program the song into her keyboard, it'd be better without since she could play to the music.

Instead of stopping and waiting around like some of the other bands were doing, they continued to play some of their other favorite songs so that when the band before them went on stage, they felt more than ready to play.

All their practice and all their hard work suddenly seemed not enough as their names were called by the announcer and they made their way on stage to set up their equipment. Careful not to look at the crowd they made sure all the connections were set and the microphones were at the right level before Adam, their designated leader, announced them and motioned for Amanda to begin.

She did her countdown on the drumsticks and taking a deep breath they began the soft opening strains of their music that would seem to the audience to be good, but not quite enough. After a couple bars they dwindled down and stopped for a whole three seconds counting under their breath before they launched into their rock song. Forgetting about the crowd and even about the competition each one of them put their hearts into the music not caring what anyone thought or said. They played for the music itself and the feeling of singing something good. Serena barely realized that her small solo had come up before it was over and never had the opportunity to feel scared, something she would be grateful for later.

Almost before it had started they were done and an odd silence filled their ears as the music died away. It wasn't until the announcer walked out and tried to talk that they realized that it wasn't silence but the crowd roaring their approval. Amanda and Serena looked at each other amazed and the boys put their instruments on the stands and walked off with the girls.

The backstage manager told them not to go anywhere though and it was only moments before they were called back onstage the crowd still roaring.

"Now don't spoil the surprise for them." The announcer was trying to get the crowd to calm down while they made their way up front to stand slightly behind them.

"Let me introduce to you, the grand prize winners of an all expense paid trip to Japan where they will be the opening band for the Offspring's grand tour, The Copper Moons and the Silver Star!" The crowd went off their rockers and Serena and the others kept staring at each other. It wasn't until Amanda started jumping up and down screaming that it really sank in. They'd won!


	7. Races and Chases

"I still can't believe that you knew Japanese, Serena." Amanda exclaimed for what had to be the millionth time as they finished packing for their trip, something that had taken them almost two weeks. Their plane took off in less than five hours and Amanda was still putting the final touches on her wardrobe that would last her only two weeks. Serena could have packed that much in one suitcase and a duffle bag but Amanda had made her go shopping with here and they now each had six suitcases each.

On top of that they all had to get their outfits for the concert ready as well. You could just imagine how long Amanda had taken for hers while Serena's was very simple. All she had was a white fleece midriff and matching pants with white sued boots to match and moon earrings that matched her pendant. Amanda's had taken two separate seamstresses to make and almost a month of planning. Now everything was packed away and waiting to be taken to the airport.

"That makes two of us. Where I learned it, I don't know." They had discovered that Serena knew better Japanese than the tutor hired to teach them when it had been announced that they were going to Japan. Both a good thing, because that meant at least one of them would know where they were going, and a bad thing because they were constantly asking her questions and getting her to correct their grammar. After two months of practice since the end of school they were all at least able to ask for and understand directions should any of them get lost in Tokyo.

"Aren't you two ready yet?" Joseph yelled up the stairs at them. Serena shot back some sarcastic remark saying of course she was, it was Amanda who was holding up the train. Amanda just rolled her eyes but zipped up her sixth suitcase anyway.

"If there's anything I've forgotten I doubt I'll remember it in the next twenty minutes." Famous last words as just as they walked out the front door she remembered she'd forgotten to pack one of her favorite pairs of boots. Then just as the van was about to roll she remembered her lucky hair clip and had to run back to get it. They where halfway to the airport when she remembered something else but the moment she started to say something Alex rudely covered her mouth with his hand and told the driver to ignore her.

After all was said and done, their tickets in hand and one small carryon apiece, the rest of the wait for their plane was rather uneventful. They'd all been in airports before and although the colors and stores are different they generally are all the same. When the huge continental plain taxied up the j line they all stood at the window to watch as the arm reached out to seal with the door of the plane and its passengers disembarked. Once everyone was off it was another hour while fuel trucks parked under the Jets massive wings to fuel the goliath and large golf carts towing racks with Food and Beverage printed on them trolled around to the far side.

The very last rows of the plane boarded first so Serena and company had to wait until seating was available for the second deck. Then with Alex and Adam racing ahead like schoolchildren and Amanda and Serena waving one last time to their parents, they boarded and climbed the spiral staircase to the second deck. A flight attendant showed them to their seats where thankfully they were not by the boys who were trying to get another attendant to serve them alcohol.

No matter how many planes she would be on Serena knew that every time the plane began to taxi down the runway she would always feel that quiver in her stomach that is half fear half anticipation. The small bits of turbulence during their 14 hour flight seemed to make it worse although she felt nothing while sleeping through the second half. A flight attendant woke both her and Amanda half an hour before their flight so they could look though the window at the approaching land but they could see very little through the surrounding clouds.

It seemed it was raining in Tokyo and the flight grew even more turbulent the closer they got to their destination. Serena fought hard to calm herself when each lurch seemed to bring on an unprecedented bit of fear. She thought she was going to faint then the whole plain made a large bump but then she laughed at herself when she could see lights out her window. They'd just touched down.

Tokyo's airport was packed with people from all over the world. Some spoke English but most didn't. They didn't have to worry much about where to go though since someone from their hotel was waiting for them with a sign. Their luggage was collected then they all boarded a shuttle van that took them to the magnificent hotel for which the radio station was paying. Once they were shown to their rooms they all tossed their luggage inside and went site seeing.

Now instead of having the concert right away, something that would take a lot of worry off of all their minds, the concert was on the first day of the second week they were here. They had a good five days to site see and goof around before they had to get practicing for their five songs that they were going to sing as an opening for the show. Following Serena's advice they all decided to try and forget about the concert and enjoy themselves as much as possible.

Their second day was bright and sunny and they got to actually use the four motorcycles that Joseph had rented for them. This gave them the opportunity to see more of the city and some of its suburbs and the following day they got to catch a game in the Tokyo Dome, but the all agreed as they sat at dinner that night that they missed the street races that had spruced up their evenings back home. Each of them promised the next day to see if they could find out any information and see if that sort of thing happened here, surely it did. Since they all wanted to see, or visit different things they decided to split up and go their own ways to cover more ground.

Serena remembered reading somewhere that some of the suburbs had wonderful views of the ocean and great parks, something that appealed to her. Right off the bat in the morning she rode out of downtown Tokyo and let her bike guide her to where it wanted to go. In one suburb she found a wonderful rose garden by a lake where people could rent boats to go out on the water. She stood there getting hot in her tight biker suit envying the people out on the cool water. Deciding to cool off she got back on her bike and decided to just drive, or she would have if the streets nearby hadn't been blocked by a stalled car.

Rolling her eyes Serena pushed her bike up onto the sidewalk so she could bypass the honking cars and swearing drivers and following them she found the source of the problem. Some hotrod in a Ferrari was broken down blocking the onramp to the nearby highway. Serena knew she probably knew enough about his car to fix whatever was the problem so she parked her bike on the sidewalk and setting her helmet on the handlebars she got of and walked around the drivers side of the window to tap on the glass.

Inside sat a young man looking cool in a black tank top with green overcoat and large sunglasses, which covered half of his face. His skin was rather dark, like someone from the Mediterranean but it was hard to tell through his window. She had to wait until he finished his conversation on his cell phone before he rolled down the window. Her patience fading she asked him what the problem was. He looked at her blankly so she switched to Japanese and tried again.

"I heard you the first time." He replied in perfect English although he sounded rather arrogant. "It was puttering before then at the light it just died and I couldn't get it started again." He told her but his tone made it clear that he thought she wouldn't understand. Not giving in to his attitude she told him to pop the hood then went to the back of the car to wait. That was enough to give him pause since few women he knew actually realized that the engine in his car was in the back.

Mamoru Chiba took a long look at the woman before pulling the latch next to his door. She was not a tall woman but had stature that most women never acquired. Her hair was short like Haruka's but she was much more feminine in looks and actions than Haruka would ever be. Despite the hair she was long in the leg and had a slender figure, one most women would die for and as she looked up at him impatiently he could see that she had the clearest cerulean eyes he had seen in a long time.

"Okay try and start it so I can hear what's going on." She told him and he complied. Serena quickly saw what the problem was and told him to stop." She walked to her bike and took out a small set of wrenches, sockets and a ratchet. She went back to the end of the car and fiddled around with something before snapping the case shut and closing the hood.

There was something about her that struck him wrong, something that he couldn't put a name to. He'd of course never seen her before and she was obviously American but still.

"Okay try it now." She ordered walking up to lean against his car placing her hands on her hips. He had a hard time believing that not even a minute under the hood and she was done but he tried it anyway. The engine roared into life startling the people who were standing nearby to watch and some of the cars behind him honked and their owners cheered. "I'd get this piece out of the way before they start a lynching mob." She told him leaning over so she could see him though the window.

"Good idea. Let me pull over up there and get out of the way. I'd like to thank you if you'd let me." He offered knowing that she'd saved him a lot of trouble getting the car towed and such. She seemed on the verge of saying no but someone behind him cursed loudly and she decided she'd better just to get him moving.

"Deal now move." She ordered getting off the side of his vehicle and moving back onto the sidewalk. She strapped her helmet to the back of her bike then got on quickly so she could follow him. Unfortunately the nearest place for him to pull over was several blocks away outside a kids arcade. Serena pulled her bike in behind another that was already parked outside. She was happy to note that hers was a newer model of the same bike. The man she was following seemed to notice that too as he frowned down at them when he got out of his car.

"We got off on the wrong foot I think." He started pulling off his shades and holding out his hand. "I'm Chiba Mamoru, or as you Americans put it Mamoru Chiba." That sounded a lot like a dig to Serena but she chose to ignore it. Instead she took his hand and shook it firmly.

"Serena Celeste, nice to meet you Mr. Chiba." His handshake was firm but not testing although her fingers chose that moment to start tingling, something they'd been doing off and on since her accident.

"Just Mamoru. Now let me thank you for fixing my car by buying you lunch. This arcade happens to have the best burgers this side of Jubaan." He named off what must have been the suburb. Serena really was hungry and she'd better accept before her stomach started making noises. She nodded politely then stripped of her riding gloves and tucked them in the storage compartment under the bikes seat before locking it.

"After you then Mr. Chiba." She realized that he'd asked her to just call him by his first name but something about this man put her on her guard and that kept her from calling him by name. He looked slightly annoyed but turned towards the sliding doors of the arcade which whooshed open and air conditioned air rolled over them.

Quickly Serena walked inside welcoming the cool air after the heat of the afternoon and decided to make it even better by removing the jacket of her bikers suit and the cool air raised goose bumps on the bare skin of her arms since she was wearing a sleeveless shirt underneath. She missed the appraising look Mr. Chiba shot her when she tossed the jacket over one arm and looked to him to lead on.

Mr. Chiba led them forward towards the counter of a small café decorated in American sixties style and they were about to take a seat when someone called his name. Quickly he looked over to a group of girls seated in a large boot at the farthest corner who were waving him over.

"I hope you don't mind these are just some of my friends, let me introduce you." He said already walking in that direction with a smile on his face. Serena groaned inwardly while putting up a fake smile of her own. This was just supposed to be lunch, not a friendly gathering. But then her better nature got a hold of her and her smile became real as she followed him slowly so she could get a better look at the girls.

There were eight of them in all ranging in age group from preteen to early twenties although most of them looked about her age. The youngest was barely more than a child with dark black eyes and strait cut black hair that came just above her shoulders. She seemed to survey everything with a grave air one reserved for a funeral. There were four of the girls that looked about Serena's age and they were about as different as could be. One had short deep blue hair that had to be dyed but looked absolutely real. She also wore glasses over deep blue eyes and had a book open in front of her.

Next to her sat a young woman with deep rich mahogany colored hair that was tied back in a rigid ponytail letting the hair swing loosely behind her. She was in the process of pretending to beat up the raven haired girl on her left while a blond with the same blue eyes as Serena herself had watched and laughed. Across from the bookworm sat two women who both had green hair although it was different shades, one being a dark forest green and extremely long while the others was aqua short and wavy. Between the one with wavy hair and the giggling blond was a woman that could have easily been mistaken for a boy but Serena wasn't fooled even though the woman obviously dressed to enhance the effect.

As the girls saw Mr. Chiba's companion all of them sat up strait and looked a bit more serious, some even worried. This made Serena want to ask questions but of course she couldn't.

"Hey everyone," Mr. Chiba had switched back to Japanese which wasn't a problem for Serena. "I want you to meet this young woman who happens to be the sole reason I'm here at all. My car broke down and she fixed it before someone decided to push me out of the way." This news seemed especially interesting to the tomboy and the girl with the book and she took off her glasses to get a better look at Serena who just smiled.

"It was nothing, just bobby pins and hairspray, any girl could have done it." She fielded not wanting to stand out. No one believed her but they diplomatically chose not to say anything.

"Okay everyone, this is Serena Celeste Ms. Celeste this is, from left to right, Ami, Makato, Rei, Minako, Haruka, Michiri, Setsuna, and Hotaru. I'm giving you just their first names since it would be hard to remember them all." They each held out their hand for Serena to shake then she bowed to them all as was tradition in Japan surprising them all slightly. She didn't bother telling him that she had perfect recall since he was happy with his opinion of her.

"It's nice to meet you all." Was all Serena could think of to say and they expressed sentiments of the same.

"Well why don't you two join us for lunch? We haven't ordered yet and I'm sure Motoki won't mind you guys grabbing chairs. That way you can tell us what brings you to Japan Serena." The oldest there, Setsuna offered. Serena looked at the woman who had an odd look in her eyes, one that seemed to strike some sort of familiarity between them.

"I'd like that." She found herself saying and even meaning it. She and Mamoru grabbed chairs from the nearest table and sat at the open end of the large booth practically shoulder to shoulder.

"So as the woman says, what brings you to Japan." Minako asked leaning forward as though ready for any juicy gossip to fall. Serena grinned and couldn't help but tell them the truth going through the entire story of the contest, her accident and then the actual competition. She paused when the groups' friend who ran the arcade Matoki came and got their order, then resumed since she'd left off right before the accident. The girls and Mamoru seemed amazed at all she'd gone through. They were even more surprised to realize that they were eating with a real celebrity, despite the fact Serena tried to play it down. Their food arrived and they started digging in.

"Wow you eat fast." One of them commented, Ami with a grin. She was covering up the fact that Haruka and Michiri seemed to be having an argument about something. When Michiri spoke over the rest of their idle chatter they all stopped talking not able to ignore the argument anymore.

"I don't want you going to those anymore. We don't need the money and they're dangerous." She exclaimed nearly slamming her balled up fist on the table. Serena perked up at that, it might be exactly what she'd been looking for.

"So is the rest of our lives, what's a race every once in a while gunna hurt? Besides I need the speed to clear my head." Haruka took the balled up fist in her slender hands and tried to unwind some of the tension there.

"Races? You mean this place actually has street races?" Serena blurted out which was most unlike her but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. Michiri glared for a moment before sighing and waving Haruka her okay to explain.

"Yeah there's an exact five mile course out by one of the bluffs on the other side of the city. Usually at about ten thirty or so Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and some Saturdays some of the racers from town get together and have fun. Why do you race?" she asked almost carelessly. She didn't seem to think much of the other racers, probably because she obviously won a lot.

"I did some back in the states but my friends and I were looking for something to do in the evenings. I think we're all curious to see if the racing is the same and what some of the other racers are like. Think it'd be okay if we showed up?" Some of the girls frowned, others pretended to ignore them and study their food.

"I doubt it would be a problem. Chiba and I are regulars there so if we say your okay it'll be fine." She then took out a pen and scribbled down the address and the time. "Think you can find it?" She asked then handed over the paper when Serena nodded.

"Not a problem and thanks a lot for letting me know. I suppose I'd better get going. My friends will want to know about this." She took the last bite of her burger then made to get up. Mr. Chiba stood as well.

"I'll walk you out." He said simply and in front of all these women she could hardly object. She said goodbye to each of them, shaking their hands again in turn. Her eyes once again met Setsuna's and briefly a flash of understanding crossed between them, although for what Serena didn't know. She smiled at the little girl who looked at her just as gravely as she looked at everything else and told Setsuna to get her ice cream. That'd make anyone smile. With a nod Setsuna wrapped an arm protectively around Hotaru and smiled up at Serena.

"See you tonight Haruka and thanks again." She waved to them all before shrugging on her jacket and following Mr. Chiba outside. He stopped her before she could get on her bike though.

"You serious about this racing thing?" He asked in a most personal way. Serena didn't think he had any right to ask but she told him the truth anyway. Of course she was serious. "Then you might want to go drive over the course while it's daylight. I don't know how it works in America but here the drivers tend to play for keeps." He stood back and she got on the bike and put in the key but not starting it.

"Thanks, I will. Oh wait." She just then remembered something that the radio station had given each of them and going into the storage space for them and her forgotten gloves she fished out an envelope that had about twelve or so slips of paper. "In case you and your friends wanted to go, these are some tickets to the show on Saturday." She handed the envelope over then hurriedly put on her gloves so that he couldn't refuse them.

"The girls will love these." Was all he said and Serena could just imagine Minako's squeal of delight and the fire in Rei's eyes when she thought about going to a concert.

"I know. See you later." And with that she started up the bike and spun the rear tire around so it was facing the other direction before she roared off.

Just as Mamoru Chiba had advised not only she but all of them went over the course described by Haruka on the far side of Tokyo near the bay. It was a good thing they did since there were a couple hairpin bends and one particularly nasty incline in the woods where there could easily be hidden dangers. Serena ran it twice to make sure that she'd memorized exactly how it looked and then putting on dark shades under her already dark helmet visor she ran it one more time to simulate dark. She wasn't going to take any chances of someone catching her unaware.

Afterwards they went back to the hotel to swim and eat dinner, a light one in the girls' cases, a hearty one in the boys. They didn't seem worried much despite the fact that they rarely raced motorcycles it was just simply too dangerous. None of them wanted to die young. For Serena though, the thrill of the race and the barely veiled challenge in both Haruka's and Mamoru's eyes was enough to draw her from wherever she was.

It seemed like days went by in the few hours Serena had to wait before they could leave but when the time came it seemed to fly faster than any time before that she could remember. They each rode their own bikes to the spot where they were supposed to meet up with the others. Serena was torn in two halves, not believing that they were doing this and the other just hoping that she didn't make a fool of herself in front of Mamoru. Wait. Since when did she care what that slightly arrogant man thought about her. Coming to a stop slightly away from the group of lights up ahead she shook her head clear of such thoughts, she couldn't afford any distractions. Amanda waved her up and they approached the larger group together.

Haruka must have been telling the truth for as they came close enough to see people's faces she seemed to be at the head of the group waiting. Bikes and cars alike formed an isle way of sorts that lead to where she and a couple of her friends where leaning against their bikes. Serena took the lead of the four of them and drove strait up to her and parked her bike head on with hers. Haruka was the one riding the later model of Serena's own bike. Haruka looked about to say something distasteful when Serena pulled off her helmet and shook her short locks free. The others did the same while Serena dismounted and walked up to her.

"Nice to see you again Haruka." She said in a friendly voice and the woman's demeanor changed to one that was slightly more welcome.

"You too Serena. Roshi this is the girl I was telling you about, the one who's family wanted to try one of our races. They're from America." She had been speaking in English, quite perfect and accent less Serena noticed. The man next to her, a man with either a very deep tan or very dark skin and short wiry bleached blond hair, muttered something very rude in Japanese. Serena retorted with something equally rude back in his own language which shut him up. Haruka then smiled and Serena got the impression that she had passed some sort of test.

"Glad to see you've made new friends Ms. Celeste." Came a very masculine voice from behind the crowd where a jet black bike, brand spanking new, had just driven up. Mamoru Chiba pulled off his helmet and walked up to stand next to Haruka. He must have heard Serena swear and she blushed furiously.

"Mr. Chiba." She nodded her head towards him and Amanda whispered something behind her back. "Mr. Chiba, Haruka let me introduce you to my foster siblings. This is Adam, Alex and Amanda." She pointed to each one in turn. The boys nodded their heads and Amanda waved her fingers a little, mostly in Mamoru's direction. Serena rolled her eyes and looked back at him almost in apology. She wasn't quite sure but she thought she saw him wink.

"Alright then. The first race will be just us cycles. Two laps around the designated course, the first driver here wins. It's two large to join the race, and Roshi here will be the money holder because I know he's to slow to get away with it." All of Haruka's friends laughed at that and Roshi just sort of glared. Apparently this was a common joke, but it didn't take Serena long to figure out why. When he came out to collect her and the others money he was in a wheelchair although he had both his legs. He whistled appreciatively at Amanda who insisted upon flirting with him despite his previous bad attitude something Serena would have never done. Hell she wouldn't even flirt with Mamoru and he was nice to her, sort of.

When all the money had been collected Roshi rolled back up to where Haruka was going over something with another one of her friends. She patted his shoulder when he nodded at all of them then two of the girls there to watch the races ran out onto the street and repainted a faded neon green line on the road. Someone else set up black lights on each side so the line showed up brightly while some of the other racers began walking their bikes over to the line. Serena got back on her bike then did a similar spin like before kicking a small cloud of dust that rolled over Haruka's bike before she sped towards the line. She stopped only a hairs width from it then sat back letting the bike idle.

The others soon joined her although she had managed to get the premium starting point so that she would be on the inside for the first corner. Mr. Chiba pulled his bike just next to her and looked over with his visor up. Serena lifted hers up as well and looked at him closely, and although he didn't say anything she could have sworn that his eyes, such familiar eyes, were trying to tell her something. She didn't get to say anything though for a rather scantily clad woman pushed Roshi up to the line where he had a starters pistol. Serena slammed her visor back down and Mr. Chiba did the same as they both got into position hunched over their bikes and staring strait ahead.

They didn't get a count down; Roshi yelled ready then the gun went off. This was probably meant to throw Serena and the others off but instead they shot off the line with the others a cloud of dust in their wake. Within moments it was easy to see the different classes of racers. There where those who slowed down for the corners and took it safe, there were those who where still safe but just barely, and then there were those who knew the limits and tried to break them. After the first few turns the first class had dropped behind and the second were beginning to fall back as well. Serena, her family, Haruka, Mamoru and one other racer were in the lead each vying for position as first. Haruka took the lead with Adam and Mamoru just behind at one of the sharp bends but Serena caught up easily on the next corner when they had to almost stop because the last driver swerved sharply in their way.

As they dove into the forested section Adam, Haruka, Serena and Mamoru shot ahead of the others who were still unsure of their ground. Serena hunched over even more her eyes barely above the bug shield of her bike while she narrowed her eyes at the rode. The trees passed by in blurs and the road narrowed to a small tunnel with lines on the outside and a faint on in the middle the lights of their bikes the only mar in the pitch blackness made by the canopy of trees. Small bits of moonlight almost made it through throwing shadows into stark relief on the sides of the road and one time Serena almost jumped when she thought she saw something move. She shrugged it off knowing that she was going to fast for her to actually see something on the side of the road.

After the forested part was a long open stretch before they started their second lap. As they approached the neon green light that they could see even from half a mile away, both Haruka and Mr. Chiba slowed down just a bit, something that was noticed only by Serena who could hear their motors fade away. She knew something was up, but was hardly prepared when large flare fireworks went off just as she passed the line seconds before the others. She heard someone fall back and their bike stop although she didn't dare look back to see who.

The next lap of the track was even more grueling than before. Each of them literally fought for every inch they gained on the others. Serena had to admit that both Mamoru and Haruka knew their bikes well and raced even better. If it hadn't been for the fact that Adam slid into Haruka on one of the corners Serena knew she might have lost right then but not wasting her chance she broke away from the two who were trying to separate their bikes and went barreling after Mamoru who had used the opportunity to his advantage as well.

On the last corner she managed to get just a fraction of a bikes length ahead of him by cutting across the grass on the side of the road. Quickly she opened the throttle and leaned into the bike willing it to go faster than she knew it could. The, road which had already become a tunnel narrowed in her vision until all she could see was that green line ahead of them. With all her focus on the line she pulled inch by inch ahead of her only competition and it was no surprise to those watching when she crossed the line first.

At first she didn't realize she'd won, only that she was incredibly exhilarated and her breath was coming in small gasps as she turned her bike around and headed for where Amanda was jumping up and down next to her own parked bike. She and it were covered in dust and Serena realized it had been her who'd pulled back at the fireworks. Now that she though of it, that was a nasty trick to pull and she was going to give someone a piece of her mind about it. When she made it back to where Haruka already was, how she managed that Serena wasn't sure, she pulled her bike harshly to a stop and ripped her helmet off.

"What the hell was the idea with that stunt back there? Someone could have gotten killed when those fireworks went off." She yelled storming up to the woman who was of course taller than she was and probably much stronger too. Considering, though, that it was Amanda who had almost gotten hurt Serena didn't care and the temper she always had managed to keep in check flared out of control.

"It was only a test to see if you guys could hack it." Haruka didn't seem bothered by Serena's outburst and turned to walk away from the girl. Serena grabbed her shoulder spinning her back around and Haruka's eyes darkened.

"Well your test is all well and good but don't pull that bullshit when it's my family on the line." Serena rarely swore like that showing those who knew here just how pissed she was. Haruka opened her mouth to say something back but her voice was drowned out by the sudden explosion of sound and lights coming up the hill.

"Shit Cops." Someone yelled and there was a scramble for cars and bikes. Haruka glared at Serena then ran to her bike and jammed her helmet back on her head. Serena's family were still on their bikes and they spun around heading back for town. Serena had to run back to her bike but in the process she got a little muddled about which way to go. She had just put her helmet on and was looking around when a black bike pulled up to hers and a voice yelled for her to follow them. She nodded and revved up her bike to follow.

As they were the last to leave the seen it just happened that the police, who looked nothing really like American police since their cars were different colors and their lights didn't flash the same way, decided to go after Serena and the person she was following. They however seemed to know the streets better than the police and after a small chase they pulled into an underground parking lot and went up two stories before stopping their bikes. They listened for a few minutes as the sirens got closer then faded away again.

"Good they're gone." The other person said pulling off his helmet revealing non other than Mamoru Chiba. Serena hid her shock rather well and uncovered her own head always hating the feeling of her hair plastered to her head. "You alright?" He asked getting off his motorcycle and tucking his helmet under one arm. Serena nodded and did the same.

"Yeah thanks for getting me out of there." She said as he started walking towards a door. She guessed that she was supposed to follow him since she couldn't really stand in the parking lot by herself. He led her through the door to a small elevator where he pushed a button and they headed up.

"Not a problem. The firework stunt probably alerted them, I told Haruka it was a bad idea." He seemed to be thinking out loud rather than defending himself which made Serena more willing to believe him than she normally would have since he had slowed down as well meaning he'd known. Serena was still rather upset about that but now the adrenalin was wearing off and she was beginning to feel just plain tired. Not sleepy tired but exhausted. The elevator stopped and they got off on a floor with a very nice interior, plush carpets, and real upholstery around the windows.

"Is this where you live?" She asked in a soft voice not wanting to wake anyone up, if anyone had managed to sleep through the sirens that is. Mamoru had already pulled out a set of keys and was aiming for a door halfway down the hallway and Serena again followed.

"Yeah, my apartment. Sorry if it isn't the cleanest I wasn't expecting company." He said unlocking the door and pushing it open. He flicked a switch on the side of the door and entered holding the door open for her. Quickly, to get out of the hallway where her presence might be incriminating, Serena practically jumped across the threshold and out of his way so he could close the door behind her. She took a quick look around rather impressed.

For someone already accustomed to wealth she was still amazed by how sleek and luxurious his apartment looked. All of his furniture was black although not leather since anyone who's sat in it knows that you stick if it gets warm. The wood also all matched and there was a large but proportional T.V. against the far wall with a nice set of surround sound speakers around the room. A hallway lead further into the apartment but it was dark and she wasn't about to snoop. For how nice the apartment looked she still got the impression that it wasn't lived in. The couches looked brand new and almost like they'd never been sat in. The remotes were lined up not tossed around like those that were frequently used. The only place that was any sort of disorderly was a small desk in a cubby in the wall. It was covered with books and papers and had a well worn chair, obviously used frequently.

"It's a nice place. But what do you mean not clean, I don't think there's a speck of dust anywhere." She joked noticing that it was true. There were no plates anywhere or cups on the black coffee table it was practically spotless.

"Well you never know you could have been one of those anal people who have to have everything in its exact spot or they go crazy." He said with a smile while he took off his jacket and hung it in a closet then held out his hand for hers. Serena took hers off wearing the same outfit from before and rubbed her arms when they prickled in the cool air.

"Like you ya mean?" She said since his description rather fitted his apartment. This elicited a laugh from him, full and rich.

"No, I just don't spend much time here to mess it up, my room is another matter. Don't go in there if you value your life." He said and she laughed as well.

"I know the feeling, I'm a complete sloth when it comes to cleaning my room. Would it be okay to use your phone? I want to let the others know I'm okay so they don't start searching police stations for me." She rolled her eyes but she wouldn't put anything past Amanda and Adam.

"Sure thing it's in the kitchen, but I was about to suggest you might want to hole up here tonight on the couch or something. I wouldn't want to be an innocent motorcyclist on the streets tonight." He offered turning on the light in the hall before looking back at her. The dark décor of the room seemed to match his looks perfectly meaning that she thought he looked rather dashing standing there in his black tank top with the muscles of his arms showing. Serena closed her eyes for a second and banished the thought.

"Are you sure you don't mind? I don't want to put you out or anything." Nor did she want to stay in a strange place with an equally strange man who also happened to be the first man she felt the slightest bit attracted to ever.

"Not at all, I wouldn't want you to get pulled over on your way home and they probably got a good look at your bike." He made sense, just to much sense. Serena agreed with him and he showed her the way to the kitchen, which was just as spotless as what she'd already seen of his place. Black and silver appliances gleamed from deep blue tiled counter tops and twin-matching ovens were stacked one on top of the other next to the microwave. Either he loved to cook or someone he knew did. He left for a moment then came back, she guessed from cleaning up his room or something, to find Serena still staring at the phone.

"Problems?" He asked trying not to smile. She had to be having problems dialing out since this system was different from what she was used to. Serena turned to him and smiled sort of vacantly and nodded.

"Yeah actually. I'm not sure how to get the number for the hotel." She admitted turning to him and grinning. He decided not to rub it in but tossed the towel he'd been holding over one shoulder and went over to help.

"What hotel are you in." She told him and within moments he had an operator connecting him and handed Serena back the phone. He left again to finish what he'd been doing. Serena cradled the phone to her ear and searched her pockets for a piece of paper and a pen she'd have to get the number to his place in case someone wanted to know.

"Your WHAT!" Amanda shrieked into the phone when Serena told her the plan. At first Serena thought that maybe Amanda was worried for her safety but when Alex took over the phone she could hear Amanda in the back round. "Damn it I was gunna go for him. She always gets the good guys." Which wasn't true at all but Adam shushed her down anyway. Alex talked to her for a minute making sure this was all cool with Mr. Chiba which she assured him it was since it was his plan then wishing her a good rest he hung up. Serena scowled at the phone for a moment before setting it down.

"And here I thought he was going to care." She said to herself and the phone. Mamoru had just reentered the kitchen to witness her talking to herself.

"Your dad?" He asked as he pulled down a couple of glasses from a cabinet. Serena shook her head.

"No just my foster brother. I thought he'd be at least concerned about me but…" She left off and shrugged her shoulders. He asked her what she wanted to drink, thankfully he had coke, which he handed her both the can and a glass. She took a long drink from the first before pouring it into the second. She was rather thirsty and after downing that in one shot she got a glass of water from the tap.

"Soda never does seem to quench the thirst does it." He said taking a drink of his on tomato juice. Serena downed her glass of water and got another before saying anything.

"No it never really does. Ugg how can you drink that stuff." She asked pointing to his juice. He grimaced and put it on the counter.

"By holding my nose and pretending its something else. Ami makes me drink the stuff, says it's good for me." His mention of one of the girls she'd met earlier startled him. She hadn't thought that they were particularly friendly.

"Is she your girlfriend?" She asked before thinking about what she said. With a small oops she covered her mouth with her hand. "Sorry I didn't mean to pry." Yes she did, but she didn't say that and tried to squash that thought as well.

"It's alright, and no she's not. I don't have a girlfriend." He said it nonchalantly but his eyes glimmered with some emotion just below the surface and Serena made a mental note not to mention anything of the sort again. It was obviously a sore spot. He straitened up and took a deep breath. He'd thought he'd be able to handle questions like that by now but each time it hit him like a blow to the stomach. Still he had other things to focus on now. "So I've pulled out some blankets for you and made up the couch it has a small bed hidden underneath the cushions, not like a full hide a bed but close. I also grabbed out a pair of my old sweats and a shirt for you, that's the best I have as far as pajamas go." He told her walking out of the kitchen and out to the living room where everything was just as he'd said.

"That's perfect as long as you don't mind me wearing your clothes." She smiled her thanks. "Thanks again for letting me stay here. You really didn't have to."

"It's no big deal. Some of the other girls you met today crash here sometimes when they're to tired to make it home. I'm used to it." He yawned widely which was followed by one from Serena. They looked at each other and laughed a little before he showed her to the bathroom so she could change. They said goodnight and parted ways. Quickly Serena changed and went to lay down in the makeshift bed swearing that she was so awake she'd probably never get to sleep, but she was out before her head ever really sank in to the pillow.


	8. A Love Before Time

(Just a note before I start this chapter, the song enclosed was NOT, I repeat NOT written by me. It happens to be a beautiful song that was on Hidden Tiger Crouching Dragon… er whatever that movie was called. It's called "A Love Before Time" imagine that, and is a very very good download. I suggest getting it so you know exactly how it goes with the story, make sure you get the English version although the Chinese is good too. Anyway, on with the show.)

Serena was up and gone before Mamoru had woken the next morning, a first for her but she had been having problems sleeping that entire night. Quietly as possible she tucked the bed, folded up the blankets and left his folded clothes on top of that. IN the kitchen she found a notepad with which she could leave a note. On it she just apologized for leaving without saying goodbye but left their hotel and room number in case he needed her for anything, such as validating the tickets she'd given him. Then before she managed to do something that would rouse him she left locking the door behind her.

In all honesty Serena never expected to hear from any of them again and was both shocked and amazed when the concierge at the front desk phoned up to the room during the middle of a rehearsal that there was a young gentleman who wanted to see Serena in the lobby. Amanda cracked a couple of jokes along with the boys as Serena told them off and left to go meet him. At the lobby she looked around for a dark haired man but was disappointed to see him no where in sight and at first thought it had been a joke. The concierge waved her over then tapped on the shoulder of a person who had their back to them both.

"Miss Haruka!" Serena exclaimed and the concierge blushed when he realized his mistake. Haruka nodded her head and walked away from the desk expecting Serena to follow which she did. Once out of hearing range of the man she stopped and held out her hand to Serena. In it was a roll of money, her winnings from the race.

"I wanted to apologize for the race, you're right it was a dirty trick. You and your foster family handed themselves extremely well and I wanted to tell you that." That said the girl turned on her heel and headed for the door. Serena looked at the money she'd taken then at Haruka's back.

"Hey!" She called after her. Haruka stopped and turned halfway to look back. "You race pretty good for a girl." She said with a grin, one Haruka caught and returned.

"So do you." She called back before leaving. Serena waved and went back to their practice.

Despite the last minute changes made to their program everything was going exceptionally well for the Copper Moons and the Silver Star, although they decided that if they ever sang anywhere again they would have to change the name. The day of the concert dawned bright and hot but the heat didn't dampen their spirits as they all trouped over to the Tokyo Dome for some last minute rehearsing. They practiced their moves and where they would stand on stage until they could take up the little colored pieces of tape they'd originally put on the stage. Before heading out to dinner Serena looked out over the space that would soon begin filling with people and was awed by how many people would be coming just to hear them sing. Well, not just them but still it was a lot.

"Don't let it get to you." One of the stage crew caught her looking and came up next to her on the stage. It was a small young girl with unruly blond hair and a Brooklyn accent. Serena smiled happy to recognize someone from America. "Even if they don't like you they'll clap." She joked and gave Serena a thumbs up and Serena laughed.

"Well that's reassuring." It wasn't really but it would do no good to think about it. They had three hours until they took their opening spots, three hours for her to turn herself into a nervous wreck.

"Serena breathe." Amanda of all people was trying to calm Serena down half an hour before the show. They were all backstage in the portioned off area for them changing and putting on the final touches. Those of course had to be approved by Amanda who insisted on glittering Serena within an inch of her life. "Serena, it's going to be fine, just breathe." Serena was breathing, but not much else.

"Serena look at me." Adam came over and put his hands on her shoulders so that she was focusing on him entirely. "Remember when we were back in California and we sang in front of all those people?" She nodded, of course she did that's what ended them up here. "Remember how easy that was? We had no problems singing in front of all those people and they actually knew what we were saying. Half the people in that audience out there," He gestured to where they could hear the crowd beyond the stage, "do not speak English and even more of them are tone deaf, they'd have to be to stand the speakers the Offspring use." Serena smiled at that, those speakers were very loud. "It's in the bag girl, we just gatta stand up there and make noise." He said which was partially true. But then again he wasn't doing the final number. Even so she still took it to heart, straitened up and nodded taking a deep breath.

"It's in the bag." She repeated and tried to settle her nerves. Amanda came back with another blush brush loaded with glitter and she started dusting Serena's hair again since she'd shaken most of it out. After another fifteen minutes of Amanda's ministrations Serena decided that she'd rather be out there on stage in front of all those people than being drowned in glitter. What did she do buy the industrial size?

"Ten minutes, places everyone." Someone came back to tell them before scurrying on their way. Serena could look up over the stage and see the lighting people climbing up to where they would control the lights. Yes it was time. As she and the others made their way to the far side of the stage she felt a calm fill her, just like before a race. That was something she could identify with, this was just a different sort of race.

The crowd was deafening as illuminated by black lights they made their way on stage. Amanda and Serena waved why they made their way to their spots and Serena ran her fingers over the keyboard making sure she remembered how to play. Happily she did, the hundreds of faces looking up at her hadn't made her forget, thank GOD! As they started up their first song, and the stage lights almost blinded them, Serena quickly began to feel better. She and the others played better than they had ever before spurned on by the approval of all those who had pay to come. They made their way through the first four songs so quickly Serena almost forgot to move when the last song came up.

Now weeks before they had been scheduled to leave on this trip she had started dreaming again of those blue eyes that she had never really forgotten. Those had been the inspiration for a song that the others had insisted that she sing by herself with them as backup singers during only part of the song. Now as she made her way up the mike in the center of the stage she looked over the crowd and tried not to be frightened as for the first time she was alone. Someone else had taken her spot at the keyboard and someone else that had been hired by the Radio company came out with a cello.

Once everyone had been arranged the first opening strains hit the air and the crowd quieted to hear what Serena had to sing.

If the sky opened up for me,  
And the mountains disappeared,  
If the seas run dry, turned to dust  
And the sun refused to rise

I would still find my way,  
By the light I see in your eyes  
The world I know fades away  
But you stay

And here Amanda and the others began to sing the backup. During the small pause that Serena had she closed her eyes and imagined those blue eyes that she kept seeing in that recurring dream. In her minds eye they looked so real, like she could reach out and touch them but as she stood there on the stage looking at those blue eyes she knew that they were to far away.

As the earth reclaims it due  
And the cycle starts anew  
We'll stay, always

Serena was on her own again yet she barely noticed as those eyes were still in front of her almost like they were listening to her words wanting to hear what she had to say.

In the love that we have  
Shared before time  
  
            There was another long pause while the music played before the final part of the song during this she closed her eyes to look at those blue eyes again but she found that she had a harder time seeing them than when they were open. The rhythm of the music moving her she swayed and opened her eyes to find that those blue eyes were out there again watching her.

If the years take away  
Every memory that I have  
I would still know the way

That would lead me back to your side

The north star may die  
But the light that I see in your eyes  
Will burn there always  
  
Lit by the love we have  
Shared before time

It had taken her almost the whole song to finally realize that those beautiful blue eyes that she was seeing, that in truth she was singing to, where not just in her minds eye, but she was looking right at them. As the music died down for a few moments Serena stood there frozen on the stage looking strait at none other than Mamoru Chiba. Of the near thousand people tightly packed into the Tokyo Dome, of all the people there who could possibly have the same deep blue eyes in her dream, she had manage to spot him in the crowd without even realizing it and keep complete eye contact during the last half of her song.

But now the music was starting up again and she had to look away to move to where the spotlight was going to move. Gliding, as though in a half dream, she did so and lifted the microphone back up to her mouth. Again she sang the song but this time in Japanese so that all those who had missed out on it the first time could benefit from the words and the meaning. She and the others had practiced so that the words lined up with the music and Serena found that it was almost easier to sing the song in this language than in English. Again halfway through the song she found herself seeking out those blue eyes to which she sang the rest of her song.

The roar was even more deafening than before as they exited the stage waving to the crowds. Amanda was almost uncontrollable with her happiness and she dragged Adam and Serena by the necks back to their section of the back stage. Serena, who was now cold to the core and still slightly in shock, had to feign the same happiness that Amanda emitted by fireworks but she could barely phase that when the news came that they'd been asked to join the members of the Offspring at a party after the concert. Serena knew that she wouldn't be able to handle it if she went, she was so lost as it was now a party would only make it worse.

Using the excuse that she had a headache and needed to wind down she managed to let the others let her go back to the hotel, but that was where the party was being held so she had to promise Amanda that if she was feeling better she would try to go. Serena would have agreed to almost anything at that point just to get out of there and escaped out the back to where her bike was parked. Mercifully she had not ridden with the others in the car that had been sent for them or she wouldn't have had this perfect way of getting out of there.

When she arrived at the hotel Serena thought better of going up to their hotel suite and lying down. She decided instead that some fresh air would do her better and asking the concierge the way to the pool she decided to walk that direction. Thankfully it was an outdoor pool and even better closed for the night. Serena walked over to the far side and took her boots and socks off so she could dip her feet in the cool water.

How was it possible that she had seen his eyes from on the stage? Even better how was it possible that she had been dreaming of those eyes for over a year when she'd never met the man before in her life? The song had come to her in a dream or at least most of it had, and she'd quickly gotten up at three in the morning to right it down before she forgot it, but it was almost as though it had been meant for her to sing that night, for her to sing to those eyes.

Footsteps rang out against the concrete made louder by the echo over the water. Serena looked up quickly taking her feet out of the water lest she get in trouble for being near the pool. She froze, honestly she thought that her heart stopped, as she saw the eyes in question looking down at her from where the walkway came out of a small copse of trees. Getting up to her feet she resumed breathing and thinking but had a hard time coming up with something to say.

"Mr. Chiba what are you doing here?" She asked much to quickly forgetting her boots by the side of the pool and taking a couple of steps around the pool. He did the same on his side.

"It's just Mamoru, Serena." He said softly and Serena remembered the name that the other girls had used for him at the arcade.

"Mamoru-chan, what are you doing here?" She asked again moving just a little bit closer before stopping. He had come to stand besides the pool at the opposite end while looking at her. Serena looked back and nearly lost her breath as she looked deep into his eyes that were lit from within. She couldn't tell if it was the light from the pool reflected back at her, or the light from his eyes themselves but the effect was just as she'd described not and hour earlier at the concert.

"I was looking for you." His words seemed to hold a meaning that was much more than him just searching for her after she'd left the Dome but what it was she couldn't tell. There was something about him tonight, something weighted that made him seem all that more real and fairytale like at the same time. He stood there with pale rippling light from the pool washing over his body showing every muscle and curve of his body and highlights in his hair. Half his face was illuminated and half was dark but even on the dark half she could see his eyes and they both held the same light.

"Well you've found me." She whispered softly not scared but at a lack for any understanding of what was happening. She knew she was missing something, something important but what? She wanted to know what it was desperately.

"So I have." He whispered back in the same tone. Then looking around he shook himself visibly and frowned for a moment. "Wanna get out of here?" He asked turning halfway towards the entrance. There was no doubt in Serena's mind as to an answer.

"Of course." She went back and stuffed her feet in her boots forgetting entirely about socks then followed him out to the entrance of the hotel where his bike was parked besides hers.

"Follow me." He said heading for his own bike while she picked up her jacket and helmet that were on hers. More glitter fell of her head when she shook it out again before putting the helmet on and revving up their bikes they were off.


	9. Some things

"So you don't remember anything before that?" Mamoru Chiba asked softly the wind carrying his words as they sat on the balcony outside his apartment. Serena sat on the far side away from him cradling a cup of now cold chocolate while her bare feet hung through the bars over open air. He faced her with his back against those painted rails while Serena talked about her past. For the last three hours they had covered many other unimportant subjects but their conversation had been inevitably leading up to this.

"Not really, I remember a white light and figures but not much else." Of course she didn't tell him about her dream and the eyes. Somehow she'd thought that when she came here all her questions were going to be answered but Mamoru seemed clueless to her confusion and she decided not to bring it up. "You mentioned that you had forgotten part of your past as well?"

Mamoru couldn't expect her to dredge up the past without having him do the same. He nodded and began explaining how his parents had died and he had ended up in the hospital and gave a brief, un-detailed, synopsis of his life since then. Serena eventually had to ask him again if he had a girlfriend.

 "Yes, I have a girlfriend, but she disappeared a couple years ago in a plane accident near where you woke up." He pulled one leg up to him and rested his chin on his knee much like Serena herself usually did.

"What do you think happened to her." Serena asked not having to wonder if he thought she was still alive or not. He said "I have," not "I had."

"Well I'm not entirely sure, but I know she is alive and that I'll find her if it's the last thing I do. I wont let her get away again." He said with vindication and Serena believed him. She took a sip of her now cold coco then leaned back and looked up at the stars wondering what it would be like to have someone care that deeply about her. Ever since she could remember she had always stayed away from guys because without knowing who she was, she didn't want to some day wake up and remember who she was to find that they wern't a part of her life, or even worse she found out that she didn't like him.

Such isolation had left its mark though and she often felt lonely despite her foster family being there for her all the time. A relationship like that wasn't something that you shared with your family though; it was something that you and the other person had all to yourselves. She wanted that.

"I'm sure you'll find her." Serena whispered cradling her cup again and wiggling her toes over the air. She had taken her shoes off because without socks they were uncomfortable, not that she liked shoes to begin with. Without a thought about it she set her cup down and got to her feet so she could look over the edge of the railing. Mamoru was by her side in an instant wondering what was on her mind.

"Did you ever want to just jump off to feel the rush of air go by your face and the freedom of it just being you and the elements?" She asked leaning forward and looking down at the concrete at the bottom, yeah that would be a bummer.

"Yeah I have, one of the reasons I got my bike. It's not me and the elements but it's close." He looked down and cringed then turned around and put his back against the railing not saying anything but just looking up. Serena bent at the waist and put her chin on the cold railing before turning her head sideways to think. Then realizing something she stood up ram rod strait and looked at Mamoru out of the corner of her eye.

In all the time that she remembered, well anything, this was the first time she had ever felt comfortable with someone who was not her immediate family, not only that but she actually felt companionable and smiling to herself she realized that she really did like him, maybe more than as just a friend. Still she managed to hide it admirably as she looked strait ahead when he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. A yawn caught her unaware which, as contagious as yawns are, he copied.

"Bed time?" He asked laughing with her and reluctantly she nodded yawning again. He went inside while she stood there for a few more moments just enjoying the view. When he came back he had the blankets that she'd used the last time with her previous pajamas on top just as she had left it. "Sorry I hadn't gotten a chance to put this stuff away yet, hope you don't mind." He lifted it up with a mock grimace on his face. Serena grinned and tried to take it from him but he pulled it out of her reach.

"Oh it's on now." Serena planted her feet in the ground and made to grab for them again but when he pulled away that was when she lunged throwing him off balance. Mamoru stumbled through the open sliding door with a grunt but he had decided to hold the blanket and clothes over his head, which she was just too short to grab. Instead she backed him up until he hit the couch. "You asked for this." She said with a growl.

Mamoru had only a moment to look at her with wide eyes before she pounced and knocked him backwards over the back of the couch. They landed softly on the couch and he dropped the blankets and clothes but instead of giving up he reached around the girl who was now straddling his waist and pulled her off him and rolling so that their positions were switched. He then tickled her mercilessly while she screamed softly and fought for breath. With her hands scrabbling she managed to get a hold of the pillows on the couch and began pummeling him back.

"I give, I give." Mamoru said covering his head with his arms while she laughed and kept at it. Since she wouldn't stop he caught her hands and pinned them to the ground before leaning down to claim victory but as his face drew close to hers he stopped suddenly unable to breathe. Serena's breath caught in her throat as well and she found herself wishing that he would kiss her but as his eyes clouded while he looked at her she knew he wouldn't. Not only did he already have a girlfriend but there were emotions he was keeping to himself.

"I'm sorry." Serena whispered and he rolled off then sat on the carpet with his back to the couch and his feet underneath the coffee table. She sat next to him and rested her head on his shoulder and since she was so close she could feel him shrug.

"It's not you Serena," He started trying to explain but she held up her hand to stop him.

"I know, it's okay." She pat his leg then got to her feet and went after the blanket and clothes. Once she'd set them down on the couch she offered a hand down to him which; he took and pulled himself up. "I get it, don't worry." She smiled up at him understandably. He looked at her obviously at a lack for words so she busied herself pulling out the bed and making it up. Eventually he wandered out of the room to where she didn't know.

Once she'd changed and laid down though she couldn't manage to get to sleep. She tossed for an hour or so before finally getting up and going back outside on ledge where she'd sat before. The moon, less than a week from being full, lit the town with it's opalescent glow and she watched the world go on it's way without it's knowledge of her watching or her thoughts. Serena adjusted her position so she could just look up and watch the stars.

A cool breeze riffled her hair stirring her from her fitful sleep but as she stirred the blanket moved up over her feet and the cold air woke her up in an instant. She sat up with and put her hand on her for head trying to remember where she was.

"Next time you decide to sleep outside, bring a blanket." Chuckled Mamoru as he slid open the sliding door a cup of steaming something in his hand. Of course he had to have been the person who had brought out the blanket for her but despite its help she was freezing. Quickly she stood up and wrapped it around herself while she walked passed him to the warmth of the indoors the coffee's smell drawing her on. He managed to beat her to the pot though and held it up out of her reach.

"I'm not going to tackle you with hot coffee in your hand," She paused to yawn. " But I wouldn't press your luck." She had just spied a glass of water behind him something he must have forgotten.

"Guess what, I'm pressing my luck." He grinned and leaned down just a bit but the coffee was still out of her reach. Pretending like she was trying to reach for it she took the glass of water and reached as high as she could dumping it on his head. Mamoru stood there like a gaping fish trying to blink past the water while she put down the glass and stole his coffee cup. She'd already gone to sit down on the couch before he came out. She didn't pay close enough attention while he walked behind her therefore deserved it when he slid a couple cubes of ice down her shirt.

With a yell she leapt off the couch and spun trying to get the ice out. Once it had fallen to the ground she scooped it off the ground and put it in her coffee to cool it down before downing it in one gulp.

"Okay truce now. Please." She said putting the cup on his coffee table and holding her hands up in surrender. Mamoru raked his hair out of his eyes flinging drops of water everywhere. His deep blue eyes looked over her still clutching the blanket despite her current position and the open look in her eyes and now he knew with all his heart that what he had suspected the night before was true. For a brief moment his eyes filled with a soul filled yearning so fierce that Serena's eyes widened and her eyes dropped. Mamoru had to turn around and fight with his emotions even going so far as to clench his fists in determination.

"Truce." His voice came without a shred of the emotion that had been evident moments before and Serena looked down chewing her lower lip worriedly while wondering what it was that she had done first to spark that kind of emotion, second to make him fight it so. "Just let me change and we'll go to breakfast." He had turned around and spied her chewing her lip just as she had used to before everything had changed. Serena looked back up at him and nodded reaching out for her clothes almost mechanically before heading towards the bathroom.

The moment the door shut and the lock clicked Mamoru stormed into his bedroom nearly slamming the door behind him. What a fool he'd been to be so blind before, what a fool he was now for wanting her so when he knew that he absolutely couldn't do anything of the sort. She didn't remember him, she didn't remember who she was and most of all she wasn't the young woman he'd fallen in love with then pushed away.

Now she was an intelligent, willful, witty and incredibly free spirited woman, not that she hadn't been those things before but they'd always been hidden by her childishness and innocence. All that was lost in this streetwise woman he found before him now not that he found he loved her any less but it wasn't the same, SHE wasn't the same. He found a dry shirt and didn't even pay attention as he threw it over his head after removing the wet one before grabbing his old slightly ratty green jacket.

Not only was this torture but he had no clue what to do now that he'd found his princess and she wasn't who he thought she would be. Beyond that he didn't know how to tell her who she was, or even if he could bring himself too, but he refused to lose her again, NEVER! He'd have to tell the others and see what they could think up, maybe Luna had some way of doing it but it had to be fast. If he remembered correctly they had only a week.

Meanwhile in the bathroom Serena was berating herself not only for the emotional turmoil she seemed to be putting Mamoru through, but for the fact that the one man she had ever developed feelings for was one who was not only in a relationship, albeit an odd one, but two in a country that she would be leaving at the end of the week. She shucked off the clothes he'd lent her and folded them without paying much attention before putting on her white fleece again.

What was she supposed to do, stay away from him for the rest of the trip? But every bone in her body wanted to do the exact opposite not to mention the fact that somehow they always managed to find each other. But she SHOULDN'T be doing this, hell she shouldn't even be going out to breakfast with him but she'd sort of already agreed to it. She combed her short hair carefully and washed her face in the mirror. Thankfully most of the glitter was gone but she was sure Mamoru would have to get it out of the blanket somehow.

She lowered the blanket to the counter top and leaned forward to glare at herself in the mirror. She looked like she always did although the fleece showed just a little bit more of her middle than she normally liked. At least she didn't look particularly ugly or anything but... "Ugg." She exclaimed tossing the blanket back on the floor and running her fingers through her short hair.

Serena had no idea what she was doing but she was going to have to find a way to stay away from him or she knew they'd manage to find themselves in the same awkward position just as they had last night. It killed her to seem him fight those feelings and if there was any way she could she would keep it from happening she would. As soon as possible she'd go back to the hotel and get Amanda to wrap her up in being a tourist so tightly that she couldn't think of him or all this.

That decided she grabbed up the blanket, folded it and with the clothes on top went out to where the bed laid unslept in. She began folding it up just as she'd unfolded it the night before.

"You don't have to do that, I can get it later." Mamoru came out of his room straitening his jacket but Serena just shrugged and finished up putting the folded blankets and such on top.

"I was just about done anyway, you ready?" She asked scouting out where she'd dropped her shoes. She dreaded having to put them back on, but she had to ride her bike somehow. She found them and sat down on the couch to put them on.

"Hold on a sec." Mamoru stopped her and ran back into his room then came back out with a pair of socks just the perfect size. Serena sighed and grinned before putting them on. "I hate shoes without socks too." He said with a grin after she'd thanked him and stood up in her boots.

"At least I'm not the only one. Is there a pancake house near here? I know it's an American thing, but I could really use some." She led the way out the door.

"I think we could manage to find something." With a glimmer in his eye Mamoru turned away to lock the door and whispered to himself. "Some things never change."


	10. I still believe

(Yes it's another song, this one a beautiful song by Crystal Lewis, I hope that's how it's spelled.)

Serena never got the chance to tell Amanda her plan as far as Mamoru was concerned for by the time that she had gotten back to the hotel that day she'd already accepted an invitation for his friends to show them around town for the next week. She still told Amanda what was going on so that maybe she could help but at the malicious look in her eyes it wasn't likely.

First thing Monday morning nine people were in the lobby waiting for them with even another surprise, the two cats in their possession. There was a small black one and a slightly larger white one but both had the same crescent moon marking on their forehead.

"Are they from the same litter?" Serena asked petting the one named Luna; which was draped over Ami's shoulder. Ami shook her head quickly and said no with a laugh. "Wow that must be like a one in ten million chance of two cats having that same mark on their foreheads like that." Serena pet the cat and turned away missing the look Ami shot Mamoru. He just shrugged and led the way outside to where his car and another convertible were parked. There was no way they could all fit in the two cars so the four visitors rode their cycles and followed the two cars.

First on the list of places to go was a huge nursery that had every type of flower imaginable. Serena and the others exclaimed over the colors and flowers before they each started wandering off in their own directions. Serena found herself wandering off towards the near acre of roses in every shade imaginable. She smiled softly and leaned over to smell a delightfully pink rose with a scent she could smell a ways away.

"You know each of these flowers have about twelve different meanings." Mamoru's voice startled her and she jumped almost running into him. He had managed to wander over after her effectively accomplishing everything she had been trying to avoid. Still she couldn't manage to be upset about anything this man did.

"True plus each country will have it's own meaning and name. I don't think that there's a way anyone could know them all, but I can come close." She knew, somehow, that she could easily name off all the names of the roses around them along with the other flowers. It wasn't the only thing unexplained by her past.

The day, despite being long, was fun filled and exciting as they went through the nursery then on to a local mall. The girls ended up dragging the guys from store to store and even Serena got into the fray. It was a good thing they had their own money for the girls were forever asking Mamoru for it except the older girls had money of their own. He didn't mind much though, despite the exaggerated grimace each time he pulled out his wallet.

After that they grabbed some burgers at a local shop and went to a movie, a cute comedy about a couple always trying to get together but somehow always managing to miss each other. The Americans, except for Serena had a harder time following the story but it was still a good opportunity for them to get some culture. Once they were back outside in the muggy night they split up for the evening heading their own directions to join back up in the morning. Serena wanted to linger a bit but Minako was watching Mamoru closely and in order to try and throw them off they split quickly.

They spent most of the week together doing most of the things that Makoto and the others said was what teenagers normally did and it was obvious that really the two countries weren't all that different. They had a lot of fun but as the week started drawing to a close their laughs seemed to last just a little to long and they stay out later and later trying to fight the inevitable.

The Friday before they had to leave they went to a nearby amusement park and while the others went on a particularly large ride that Serena knew would make her sick, she sat on the bench with both cats on her lap. Artemis had stretched across her legs but Luna sat there staring up at Serena's face while she ate an ice cream cone.

"Pretty kitty." Serena said offering her some ice cream; which Luna sniffed but refused. She continued to watch Serena who also continued to pet her. "Someday I'm going to have to get a cat, I hope that I can find one as well behaved as you two." She scratched behind the cat's ears and smiled meeting the cats' eyes and froze.

Ami was the first to see Luna using her special powers on Serena trying to wake her up. She elbowed Rei hard getting the other girls attention but managing to keep it from their new friends. With a tilt of her head Ami motioned Mamoru to go in that direction and they made some excuse for him while directing the others to another ride before trading a worried but hopeful look.

Mamoru walked up slowly so as to not disturb Luna and Serena as they were still frozen with their eyes locked. Artemis was on the bench nearby looking back and forth between the two while Mamoru sat on the bench on the opposite side. It was nearly five minutes before either moved and it was Luna who did. Serena was still staring strait ahead not talking or saying anything.

"Something, she I think, is fighting the Luna mind beam. I can't force her to remember without running the chance hurting her." She spoke softly so no one would over hear. Artemis rubbed his face against Luna's in a cats gesture of affection." But there's no doubt about it. She's our princess." She sat next to Artemis on the bench looking at Serena who was beginning to show some signs of movement.

"Serenity?" Mamoru asked softly so as not to scare her or jolt her out of her stupor. To his surprise she turned her head and looked strait at him her cerulean eyes wide and aware.

"Yes?" She answered sounding slightly preoccupied but still looking right at him.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked resisting the urge to reach up and move a couple of strands of hair out of her face.

"Of course I do. Chiba Mamoru, your twenty-two and live in your own apartment in Jubaan. Your my friend." She said like of course she knew who he was and he was insane for asking.

"And how long have you known me?" He asked still looking right at her but this question threw her off and she had to think about it for a moment. She turned away from him and put her hand to her forehead trying to figure it out.

"Well we came here a little over a week ago so a week right?" She turned back to him her eyes questioning. She didn't seem to know what exactly she remembered. Mamoru sat back trying to hide the disappointment.

"Right." He said and covered his eyes with a hand. Serena had gone back to petting the cats even going so far as to pick up Luna and cradle her in her arms.

"You should tell me what's happened in the last couple years." Mamoru was shocked to hear from Serena and lowered his hand to find her talking to Luna like she expected her to talk back. The girl must not have really been paying attention to what she was saying but it sounded like she meant while she was gone. She froze again when Luna tried her mind beam again hoping that while the girl was dazed that maybe she could get through but to no avail.

"Hey guys what's up?" Amanda came walking up quickly with the others following slower behind them. Apparently the girls hadn't been able to keep them away any longer but it didn't matter much since they weren't accomplishing much anyway. Serena shook her head and lost the glazed over look.

"Hey Makoto-chan, how bout you make dinner tonight? I bet we could go over to Mamo-," She paused for a second and all the girls and Mamoru thought she might just slip and say it, "Mamoru-sama's house and have a second to last night party, how's that sound mina?" For a whole minute there was dead silence among the group both parts for different reasons.

Mamoru and the girls were silent because for a few sentences it was like they had their old Usagi back, the others because they'd never heard Serena talk like that. In order to cover it up Makoto and Minako burst out that it was a great idea and Mamoru rapidly agreed to letting them use his apartment and even buying the food. He and Makoto left the group to go get groceries and head over to the apartment while the others lead the way. Serena kept Luna and draped her over her shoulder and talked to her just like old times going so far as to leave pauses where Luna would reply. She along with the other girls made their way back to Mamoru's apartment like it was a route they'd memorized long ago.

After having only been there twice Serena somehow managed to know that he kept a spare key in a locked black box behind the plant by his door and unlike them she knew the code. They let themselves in and lounged around for a few minutes until Minako and Mamoru came home. He looked slightly shocked that she had gotten them in but he really should have known that in her current half aware state that anything was possible. One thing that hadn't reverted back to his old Usagi was that she was still sharp as a tack and knew more than he thought possible in the years she had been gone. While Makoto was cooking Ami kept going through Mamoru's books, the really hard ones, and asking Serena questions out of it to which she answered correctly even getting some Mamoru couldn't. He wasn't the only one who was shocked and amazed by the changes in her, the other girls didn't know what to think but they did know that she wasn't the girl who they'd yelled at, nor the one who'd been klutzy to the point of being dangerous.

They had a blast that night, staying up until very late partying and playing games. It was hard to part when morning came but they were all so tired that they had to call a taxi to get home. When the car showed up they stood outside saying their goodbyes and promising to get together again that night so that they could hang out one more time before they had to leave. Serena was the last to get in and she stood holding the door open and looking back at them while the wind ruffled her hair. Mamoru's heart caught in his throat as her cerulean eyes met his deep blue ones and for an instant the feelings hiding deep in her soul surfaced and she made to take a step towards him just as he took one towards her.

"Serena, come on." Amanda tugged on her coat and Serena lost that clear look and turned her head away from her old friends towards her new family. She didn't dare glance back at the others, she didn't understand what kept happening to her whenever she looked at them or their pets but somehow it was like looking at the world from the bottom of a well or waking up from a dream but to what? How could she be dreaming when she was already awake?

Serena had problems sleeping and after only a few hours of fitful tossing and turning she got up and dressed in a pair of loose shorts and a midriff t-shirt that Amanda had insisted she buy the day before. Not entirely sure where she was going she headed out of the room but her feet found their own way to the spare room that the hotel had offered for them to use as a practice room. Their equipment was mostly put up ready for the flight tomorrow but she was happy to see that her keyboard and an amp were still out and plugged in.

With a soft and wistful smile on her face Serena trailed her fingers over the keys then turned on the machine listening to the barely audible hum of its electronic parts. Then half paying attention to what she was doing she played a few experimental cords warming up her fingers then hummed along with them to warm up her voice. Just in case she hit the record button and went back to the music. Then of their own accord her fingers began picking out the beginning of a song that she'd never heard before. The amazement didn't last long for words began forming in her mind and she had to sing.

"When I can't feel your love for me

the pain in my soul it won't let me sleep

I imagine you here and it dries up my tears

even though I can't see I still believe

I believe in love, I believe in peace

I believe someday, you'll return for me.

I believe in things, that I cannot see,

and when my heart says no,

I still believe.

Just when I think my faith is gone,

I hear your sweet voice crying out hold on.

It is amazing how we were always meant to be

and now I can breathe again.

I believe in love, I believe in peace

I believe someday, you'll return for me.

I believe in things, that I cannot see,

and when my heart says no,

I still believe.

I believe the sun will shine again.

and the loneliness someday will end.

I will stand right here 'till your voice I hear

forever and always.

I believe in love, I believe in peace

I believe someday, you'll return for me.

I believe in things, that I cannot see,

and when my heart says no,

I still believe."

"So when my heart says no,

I still believe."

"I still believe."

Outside the door that she'd left open just a bit stood a dark figure who would have been ominous if it weren't for the fact that he stood as though frozen with the most sorrowful and love filled face anyone could ever imagine seeing. As the music died away the words still haunted him just as the words from the last song he'd heard her sing did nightly. Those had been one of the reasons he was here now, another that he refused to give up on her and spurned on by the words that she'd just sung he knew that somewhere in her soul she didn't want him to despite how her mind fought.

"Mamoru-chan!" Serena exclaimed having opened the door the makeshift studio to find him standing there barely breathing. She said his name first out of being startled by seeing him then again when he didn't move to make sure he was alright. She was about to reach out and touch him when he jerked upright and his eyes met hers. She saw briefly the pain and loss he'd been concealing there for who knows how long but she also saw underneath the deep and intense love that he had for … someone. As though swept under a rug the emotions where quickly stripped from his eyes and he looked like a rabbit trapped by a cars headlights.

"Serena!" He reached a hand up to his head and raked through his hair trying to think again and fast for an excuse for him to be here. Serena looked up at him while shutting the door behind her so she could put her back to it. She knew he was stalling for a small amount of time and stood there patiently giving it to him.

"Sorry to startle you, I had thought that you might like to go catch a late lunch with me, if you would like to that is." He seemed so unsure of himself that Serena momentarily wondered if he was really the same man that she'd been hanging out with lately, but of course he was he was just flustered about something. She debated saying no and going to her room to try and sleep some more but her stomach grumbled loudly just as she opened her mouth and she quickly shut it again.

"My stomach says yes." She said giggling softly and Mamoru smiled widely his eyes flicking down to her agreeable stomach. 'Same old Usagi' he thought to himself before he led the way out to his car. He pressed the button that turned off the alarm then unlocked the doors as they exited the building but before they could get in he tossed her the keys and headed toward the passenger side door. Serena caught them deftly but looked at them dumbly.

"It's okay, I trust you." Mamoru said as he climbed in but then he stressed putting on his seat belt and pulling it tight. Serena gave him a confused look before heading for the drivers' side.

"This thing costs more than I do Mamoru-chan, are you really sure about this?" She asked just sitting down in the drivers seat but not getting in the car. Mamoru looked slightly startled at her words.

"For one, don't ever let anyone tell you that you aren't worth as much as this car, 'cause it isn't true, and for two, I'd trust you with my life." With that said he crossed his arms and looked out the front window waiting patiently. Serena looked at him for a long moment before climbing in herself and putting on her own seat belt.

"So where to?" She asked starting the engine and revving it just to listen to the sound. He knew better than to answer before she was done.

"There's that pancake house nearby where I live, I thought you'd enjoy that." He said pointing out the right direction as she left the hotel's parking lot. It was to bad that she was driving in town. She would have loved to just put the pedal to the metal and let the car go.

"But where do you want to go?" She asked still following his directions. It wasn't fair that they go just where she wanted to go. He was spared from having to answer by a soft beeping filling the car. Serena looked over at him to see what it was but he seemed to be ignoring it.

"Do you have a pager?" She asked and he gave her a suffered look.

"Yes, would you mind pulling up to that payphone over there?" He pointed to one on a nearby corner and Serena obligingly turned the car in that direction. She then waited patiently while Mamoru got out and went inside the small booth but his back was to her so she couldn't guess what he was saying or who he was talking to, but he kept gesturing and looking back over his shoulder at her. After nearly five minutes he hung up the phone and raced back out to the car.

"I'm really sorry about this but it turns out that I really need to be somewhere fast, mind if I drive?" He didn't give her much chance to answer before running over to the drivers side. Serena climbed over the stick shift to the passenger seat and buckled herself in while he did the same on the other side. "I'd hold on." He warned before mashing on the accelerator and launching them out into traffic.

Now despite the mad dash across town that ensued after that Serena had to admit that Mamoru was a very good driver. He was always careful of who was around him and only took chances when it was obvious that no one would suffer from it. From the look of steely determination on his face she didn't dare ask questions although of course she was curious as to what was going on, and she didn't get a chance to ask when he pulled into a parking lot with a screech of tires.

"Okay I'm going to leave the car on so you have air conditioning 'cause I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. Just promise me you'll stay here, okay?" He looked at her with those same steely eyes until she nodded. With her promise secured he literally leapt from the car and took off at a run. Serena sat there a little lost and confused but she kept her promise at least until she felt what she had previously called the hibby-jibbys.

All of a sudden her entire body was filled with a rush of elation and something coursed through her veins like fire although she couldn't have known what it was. She'd felt this a lot over the last year or so but never so strong that she couldn't move because of it. Once she was able to breathe again she rested her forehead against the dash letting the air conditioner wash over her. A shadow crossed over the car but was gone before she could look up. Still she could have sworn she'd seen something out the back window in the corner of her eye.

Promises forgotten she turned off the car and got out making sure to lock it before looking around. They were in the parking lot on the outskirts of an industrial park but for such a hi-tech place there was almost no one around. Serena got that feeling again, although much less this time and she was able to discern a direction and without thinking again she headed in that direction.

At first the heat of running on the pavement was suffocating and every step she took in that direction seemed to drain the energy right out of her until she had to stop wondering what was going on. She shook her head several times then with a look of fierce determination she started off again.

The first few steps where as hard as before but then something seemed to pop and she had no problems moving at all. Again she started running coming up a small walk-through underpass. Dark as it should have been flashes of light came through from the other side to play their lights along the walls in odd patterns. Serena looked at them as she continued to move spurned on by the beginning of noise, the first she'd heard since getting out of the car.

What sounded like toothpicks snapping but have really been something much larger for she was still far away when she heard it the first time. There were voices shouting, but the walls of the underpass distorted it but the flashes of light were getting stronger and although Serena was running as fast as she could it didn't seem like it was fast enough or maybe she was slower than she'd thought.

Finally rounding the last corner sunlight caught her by surprise blinding her for a moment and she stopped with her hand on the wall so she didn't lose her balance. After what seemed eternity she could blink through the light and make out the scene in front of her but what she saw didn't assure her that she was seeing things correctly.

Five beings of incredible strength and flexibility seemed to be fighting a series of creatures with what looked like magical powers of some sort. One instant they would be in fighting poses then the next they would call out something and water, fire, lightning, or light would arc between them and the creatures who could be called nothing less than monsters. The fifth figure, the only male, was ensconced in old fashioned battle armor and fought with two weapons, a sword and a handful of razor sharp white roses. Despite the fantastic thing she watched them do it seemed that the monsters were winning.

The creatures, there were originally eleven when she'd come across them, were down to seven and seemed to be made out of shards of glass, mirrors and multihued crystal pieces that glittered in the sun and reflected the attacks of those who were obviously the good guys. As she watched those colorful monsters began showing some form of strategy and she almost called out when the woman with long black hair and flames coming from her fingertips went down.

The longer this went on, the more she watched them, the more some sort of emotion kept trying to grab her attention and escape from her mind. At first Serena tried to figure out what it was but each time she tried it escaped her. Instead she went back to watching in hopes that it would make itself known and for a brief instant, when the last three monsters were fighting the armor clad man she thought that her heart would burst from the fire inside her that was trying to burn from the inside out, but at the last possible moment three more figures, more women in the same sort of uniform, showed up and with new, more powerful powers and the last three monsters were destroyed.

The battle was over and the four people went over to their fallen comrades and Serena found herself walking towards them despite a sharp reminder to herself that she shouldn't be seen. Not that she should have worried they were far to busy with the others to notice her.

"I think Mars is just unconscious, let's see if we can get Mercury up so we can find out." A tall young woman in one of the curiously similar outfits but short blond hair was kneeling next to another woman with deep blue hair. One of her companions, an older woman who carried a long staff, walked over and waved the staff over the woman's body before there was a slight rustling and the girl opened her eyes looking right at Serena.

Serena froze and for a moment hoped that the girl was two out of it to see her but when she whispered something else to the others they all turned and looked at her with a gaze so intense she wanted to melt right there. Even the man turned to look at her and when Serena caught his eyes she felt cold and warm rush all the way through her body from her toes to the ends of her hair. She flushed brightly then turned to run back the way she came without saying a word to any of them. Unknown to her, that same man cursed to himself under his breath and apologized to the others before taking off into the air.

Okay yes I know this is a bad place to end, but I figured I'd better get something before I'm scalped.


	11. All Good Things

Serena made it back to Mamoru's car out of breath and exhausted. She didn't know what she had walked in on or why it had affected her in such a way but she did know that it had been something more important than her or her own measly life. How she came to this conclusion she didn't know but she could feel it in her soul so strongly it was breathtaking. Not that she had any breath to spare at the moment she was drained and more than she should be from just the run. The car door was locked and she seemed to have misplaced the keys which were of course sitting on the drivers seat. There was a numeric pad under the door handle but she didn't know the code so she sat and waited in the small amount of shade that the car afforded. Footsteps approached and slightly dizzy she looked up to see Mamoru looking at her in that odd piercing way only he could. She didn't know if it was her head, the heat haze or if he really did look different but for the first few moments she thought he was wearing something odd but when she could see him clearly he looked as he always had with that same light in his eyes but he was guarded now and approached cautiously.

          "Are you okay?" He asked offering her a hand up. Serena didn't take it knowing that that shock would probably knock her out in her current state. She nodded but had to put a hand on the car to keep from falling over. Claiming low blood sugar as the reason for her weakness Mamoru opened up the car so she can sit down. Serena tried to think over what she had just seen but she can't seem to get her mind to bend around the thought that they were super beings or maybe aliens. She didn't know what to think about them but she had never seen anything of the sort before. Mamoru was still looking at her, even though he had climbed into the car as well and started the engine so the air conditioner could cool the air that washed over them. He seemed to be waiting for something, what she didn't know, but she also felt that she needed to offer an explanation for why she had been locked outside of the car. She started to talk several times but nothing came out so she swallowed hard then started again.

          "Have you ever seen…" She tried but that wasn't what she meant to say. "Do you know of…:" No that didn't make much sense either. She was getting frustrated with herself, and that made her stumble even more. Mamoru captured one of her waving hands in his own and she looked up at him as that shock ran over them both. He banked the emotion in his eyes and she struggled to do the same. The effect of his touch was enough to make her put her thoughts in order, instead of the other way around which should have happened. Still she could speak. "I saw them. They were so beautiful and so strong. They were magnificent and terrible in their rage but honorable. Does that make any sense?" She had looked away as she spoke but looked back at him again to meet his eyes and could see that he knew more than he was letting on.

          "They're called the Sailor Senshi, they protect Japan and sometimes the world." He let go of her hand and looked away his eyes guarded again.

          "From what?" It was the logical question and one that deserved to be answered.

          "They protect us from aliens of different origins. Mainly we call the yuma's or monsters. There's been a couple from their past as well but that is a long story in and of itself which I unfortunately don't know." He couldn't let on that he knew more than a general bystander should but his explanation seemed to be enough for her and she sat there silently thinking while he put the car in gear and drove them to breakfast.

          Serena had forgotten to leave a note with the concierge as to where she had gone and although the others were worried they weren't all that surprised when Serena came back in the passenger seat of Mamoru's car. They were surprised by how subdued she was but she passed it off as not having gotten any sleep and Amanda told her to get a nap before the others showed up. Mamoru got to spend some time with the others as they lounged around the pool and talked about what they were going to do that night. He got to learn how awesome these people that had taken Serena in and given her a home really where. At this point he was having to seriously consider the fact that she might be spending the rest of her life in America and that thought was just painful but a likely scenario.

          Serena was up and changed by the time the others showed up for their last night on the town. She had chosen to wear that same white fleece outfit she had worn for the concert as it made her feel better and something was seriously bumming her out. She couldn't put a finger on it as she put her earrings in and looked in the mirror. Sometimes Serena wondered if the woman looking back at her was a reflection of only her outward appearance and not her inner self, but how could she be anything different than what she was? Sighing she grabbed her purse and the keys to her bike and tracked down her family just as they were getting out of the pool. They hadn't seen her yet as she stood by the door looking at them through the glass that reflected the pool on their side.

          Here were the people she had known as long as she could remember, they had befriended her, given her a home, a car, a life and even the love of brothers and a sister but when she looked at the man who was playing in the pool with them she felt something squeeze her heart making her frown. Despite all the barriers she had put up and all the plans she had made to the contrary this man had gotten under her skin and past all those walls without a single conscious attempt to do so. The sun sparkled brightly off the water in his hair and along his body and Serena shifted her position to get a better look at the intense face and well muscled body and realized that if she wanted to get under his skin and make him feel for her just as she was beginning to feel for him. But that was wrong of her, he already had someone, someone he loved very very much. She made no movement but suddenly she felt his eyes on her and looking at his face she met his deep blue eyes and for a moment she thought that maybe he knew she was here. When he didn't look away she was certain of it and afraid of being caught staring she opened the glass doors and stepped through to be greeted by her family.

          Mamoru had felt her eyes on him for a long time before he actually looked up to find her. He would give her whatever time she needed if it meant that in some way she would come back to him but when he felt that same warmth he had known as long as he had known Usagi-chan fill his heart he couldn't help but look up even though he couldn't actually see her. Something was giving, something was changing and he knew it had to be for the better but when she stepped out through the doors she didn't look any different, there was no light of recognition in her eyes, she was the same Serena she'd been during her entire visit. Her family tried to get her to come closer to the pool, she grinned knowing better than to trust them and stayed far enough away to stay dry while they got out and toweled off. The boys offered to let Mamoru use their shower to get the chlorine out of his hair and he accepted as they all trouped back to their rooms.

          Later that night, after the theater and the enormous meal they had all consumed, the two groups found themselves walking through the park Serena had found on her own that one day, and despite it being so late at night there were other couples there as well. Haruka and Michiri were the first to wander off by themselves and Adam singled out Minako and they, with their heads bowed together in a conference walked off towards the small lake. Alex and Rei were trading jokes as they continued walking down the path not paying any attention to anyone and Setsuna and Ami were taking to Amanda about the flight tomorrow and Hotaru followed them like a lost puppy. This left Serena alone with Mamoru and for a moment she wondered if this was orchestrated but one look at her companions and she knew it wasn't. Mamoru was being rather silent as they just walked an awkward silence forming between them.

          Serena let her feet choose their path and found herself headed for that same rose garden that had held her attention that day and in the moonlight it was as enchanting as ever. Mamoru stopped walking when they reached the area and Serena felt herself pulled forward to smell the beautiful flowers that were blooming in every colour a rose could. When she realized Mamoru still hadn't come in she stood to look at him and the clouds broke letting the full moon bask them in its radiance. The light seemed to be absorbed by his dark hair and dark clothes where on Serena who was in white it gave her an unearthly pallor. Mamoru stared and Serena stared until it seemed the night should break with the weight of their looks but yet nothing changed and only the wind dared break the silence.

          For the first time since knowing who she really was Mamoru found himself unable to hide his feelings from her as the light turned her into a ghost and he could only force himself to breath, not think not reason. All the loss and pain flooded through him as she seemed to look through him to his very soul and once all of that was gone there was only love a feeling so deep and so thick he nearly choked. He couldn't tell this Serena how he felt for her, he could show her in his eyes but he couldn't put it to words. She couldn't understand. But even if it were his own Usagi could he have ever brought himself to ask for forgiveness? All he had wanted to do was explain that it had been a dream, a very realistic and frightening dream, but a dream all the same that had made him break her heart even as his own was cleaved from his chest. He had deserved to be hurt for hurting her and he knew that down in the depths of his soul but his soul yearned for forgiveness.

          Serena knew he had given up the fight with himself when she saw the emotions he'd sought so hard to hide surface and be laid bare. She herself had tried to keep him from having to feel them but it seemed that her very existence made that impossible for him and she let the feelings wash over her as though they were a physical thing and perhaps they were. The pain was acute she could feel her own heart hurt the loss just as real as she had experienced her own but the love that came afterwards was not something she was equipped to cope with. Never before had she seen such a pure emotion something that could wrap around a person and never let them go. Something inside her fought against bonds she hadn't known where there something wanted free so badly it literally caused her pain even though she didn't fight it. She wanted to be able to love back but the love wasn't for her it was for someone more than she could ever be.

          Serena turned away then hurt and pain filling her but this time they were her own. How she wanted to be loved like that be cherished and sought after until the stars themselves had been searched and yet she knew that this man wasn't caring for her. How she knew that was beyond her but just as she sometimes knew things or the answers to questions came to her from the depths of her mind she knew this now and no matter what he thought she couldn't accept the love. It wasn't hers to take. She felt rather than heard Mamoru come up behind her so close if she were to move just an inch they would be pressed full length against each other but she didn't move and when he made to put his hands on her shoulders she told him to stop. He didn't have to ask why, the question was in the air between them.

          "It's not me Mamoru." She spoke softly but the wind carried her words back to his ears. "All those feelings, those emotions that I crave so much, they aren't for me Serena Celeste they're for your Usagi and I am not her, nor will I ever be." The words came to her from that same place that answers did in her heart but she felt them as she said them and they were her own. Still she was unaware of the double meaning they meant for Mamoru yet they were the right words, words he needed to her. "You love her with a single-mindedness that I will always envy and always feel but I can't let you pretend that they're for me because one day you'll realize that they're not and then where will we be?" She asked turning around to face him managing yet again to stay just out of his touch.

          Mamoru felt the words strike his heart, he could see the truth in them double meaning and all but he wanted to not care. He knew he could love this other person she had become, love her as much as he had loved his Usagi but that wasn't being fair to her and eventually, although he didn't want to believe it, it would end. He never touched her that night and it almost felt as though he had. Serena looked up at him with the moonlight illuminating his face chasing away any bit of dark that was normally there. She memorized his features and knew she would remember them in acute detail for the rest of her life, just as he would remember hers. Then the clouds came and covered the moon and the moment was lost. She turned away to bury her face in the roses and he turned away looking out over the lake at the couple who were bringing their rowboats in for the night. This was how Amanda found them later both aware of each other but purposely ignoring whatever there was between them.

          The plane was delayed for another two hours, and the Donnelley's and Serena groaned when they saw the monitor change their new departure time. The reason was obvious out the windows they could see that it was nearly a monsoon out there and there were few people who weren't under cover and those few she felt very sorry for. Amanda went to call their parents and let them know what was going on and that they were safe but they didn't feel safe, especially Serena, who jumped every time the thunder filled the terminal. Serena's skin prickled, she guessed because of all the electricity in the air, but she couldn't help but feel very uneasy about what was going on around them. The few people she had heard talking about the weather had said that they'd never had a storm at this time of year especially with such ferocity, and the weather channel had said that they'd never even seen the storm coming, which was unusual in and of itself.

          Three lightning strikes hit in rapid succession and Serena fought down a scream in the sudden silence that reigned thereafter. Everyone was looking around, apparently they heard nothing as well and outside the rain had stopped although the clouds looked just as troubled. Serena thought she saw another flash of lightning and made to cover her ears then froze as the same light shined again. She'd seen that once before and it had nothing to do with lightning. Quickly she made her way to the window to look outside, but there were other people there too. She found a child that she was taller than so she could see over his head and after a moment she knew she was right.

          "The Senshi." She remarked to herself. Amanda had followed her and asked her what that meant. Serena just shook her head and tried to make the figures out better but it was hard as the fog and clouds kept trying to block them off. Something urged her to find a better view and she looked around and found that the arm of the terminal wound that direction and if she followed it she could get closer. When Amanda and the others weren't looking she took off in that direction wondering at herself the entire time. Closer she got but her view was worsened by the airplanes grounded by the storm. Customer service agents were going in and out wondering at the strange behaviour of the weather and watching closely she managed to slip outside behind one when no one saw. She knew this was against the law but if she was caught they weren't going to throw her in jail.

          After sneaking around the airplanes Serena was finally close enough that she could hear as well as see what was really going on. All of the Senshi were there and the knight as they battled a fierce creature and it's little miniature copies that were very near as powerful as he was. Again the older Senshi were using their more powerful attacks bolstered by the others but to no avail. Every time they managed to take out some of the minis the big one got in a hit that would leave them stumbling in their tracks. The Senshi with long blond hair was fumbeling with something red and gold in her hands. She kept waving it about but getting no results. A mini struck her off guard and she was thrown to the ground nearly at Serena's feet and seeing Serena there she turned white as a ghost but Serena wasn't paying attention.

          The sceptre in her hands, for that was the only thing it could be, looked oddly familiar and Serena longed to reach out and touch it her fingers fairly itching to do so. One of the others called the Senshi by Serena's feet Venus and Venus got to her feet to go back to the battle. She looked down at the sceptre in her hands and deciding it was useless put it on the ground by Serena and giving the girl one more look she leapt back into the fray. Now Serena found herself drawn to the piece of metal and making sure no one was watching she picked it up and weighed it in her hands. It had to be real metal, it was much heavier than it looked and all the gems winked at her and caught the few bits of light that make it through the clouds. Serena found herself mesmerized by them and would have been entranced if it hadn't been for an odd pain on her chest. She lowered the sceptre to look down her shirt and see her brooch on it's chain trying to burn her. She lifted it up by it's chain careful of the hot metal but when she touched it was cool and settled into her palm as though it were made to go there.

          A masculine cry made her look away from her two pieces of odd jewellery and Serena gasped to see that the knight was sporting a wound to his leg as he leapt out of the way of a mini that had his blood on one of it's hands. He landed a little ways away from her and Serena found herself making her way towards him without even considering that she shouldn't be here. The man was hissing with pain as he sheathed his sword and looked at the tear in his pants leg and the wound beneath. A footstep fell behind him and without a second thought he had unsheathed his sword and levelled its tip at the nose of the person who had tried to come up behind him. He almost dropped his sword when he saw the look of sheer terror on the face of his beloved.

"SERENITY! What are you doing here?" He asked his mind preoccupied enough to let the name slip. He had decided to stop remembering her as Usagi or Usako and call her by the name her mother had given her if only in his mind. That had been the plan.

"It's you isn't it Mamoru." She said recognition in her voice for the first time since they'd met again. She frowned not giving him a chance to respond. "No, that's not right. Endymoin that's your name just as mine is Serenity." She seemed to be talking to herself but Endymoin was enthralled by her words. She looked up at him with a clarity in her eyes that he hadn't seen before. "I couldn't remember my name. They asked, and I almost remembered, but I couldn't." She said curiously.

"Why couldn't you remember?" He asked softly not wanting to break her out of the moment especially if it meant she wouldn't remember.

"Hmm.. it wasn't time. Usagi Tsukino was no more and I wasn't ready to be Serenity yet, so I became Serena to give myself a chance to rest, to grow and to learn enough about the world that I could become whoever it is I'm supposed to be." She was amused by that thought. "I buried my previous identity deep inside so I could be free for a time."

"Free of me." Endymoin said. It wasn't a question it was a fact and Serenity looked at him full on and he stopped talking.

"Yes and no. I needed to be free of the person that you and the other Senshi had made me become. I couldn't hide behind my ignorance forever but without a rather rude and possibly hazardous wake up call I wasn't going to change. You forced me to change, Endymoin, by pushing me away and I needed that push whether I wanted it or not." She sighed then thinking back to that day when she had been so forcibly awaken enough so that she had to take over her poor Usagi's self. Now she was Usagi, Serena and Serenity all in one and she would use the experiences of all three to become what she must.

"I'm sorry Serenity for the words and the actions, you can't understand how sorry I am." He started saying but she held up his hands and grasped him in that gaze of hers.

"That's not true, I know how sorry you are, I know the pain you felt because you and I are of one heart and what you felt I felt as well while I slumbered. Then you revealed it to me again last night overcoming one of the most difficult obstacles we will ever face. You were able to love me even though I wore a different face and had a different name and that is something we can never lose. I know that you never meant those words, I think I knew it then as well although not that the cause was those retched dreams from the future." She didn't miss his look of surprise but the time of explanation was not now. Now it was time for her to act but looking at the brooch in her palm she felt at a loss. Never in any of her lives had she ever seen the brooch in this configuration even though the soul of its power was still inside. There were words, just under the surface of her mind, the words of transformation she needed but they would not come to her no matter how she sough them and so she stopped searching and focused her mind on the power inside herself to make the transformation to Princess Serenity.

The others had been continuing the battle oblivious to the conversation taking place between their Prince and Princess but they were able to see that the Storm Master's attention was divided and using that distraction they were able to take out almost all of his Minis. They regained his attention when they attacked him full force but it seemed that none of their powers were enough to stand up to his. Just as the first thought of defeat crossed their minds the winds stopped and the clouds seemed to pause in the places, which is impossible for clouds to do, and the Storm Master froze in his attack just as the Senshi froze as well. A white light, purer than any they had seen in a long time, began flooding the airfield it's source lost in it's brightness.

When the light receded Princess Serenity stood in it's stead but she was not the same Princess they had seen save them several times before although she was just as regal and just as powerful. Her hair had not re-grown to the length to which they were accustomed and her eyes no longer had the same innocence they'd once held. Instead was a ferocity and an intensity no one on the field had seen before save Prince Endymion who could remember his past lives as Serenity now seemed able to do. He had seen that look once before and knew that it bode ill for whoever was in it's path. In a floating walk Princess Serenity glided out from under the protection of the hanger and strode right at the Storm Master who was still shocked frozen. He had not expected the sort of opposition a woman of this power would present and he tried to gather strength from his storm but that was impossible as she had done something to it he couldn't understand.

The Senshi were as shocked to see their Princess striding towards them as the monster itself but they recognized her all the same as well as the power she wielded. As Princess Serenity she had no attacking powers of her own and could only wield the power of the crystal in a direct form. If she used it to much it would draw it's power from her itself eventually killing her which is why she had been given the Sailor Moon transformation as a protection. They were rather shocked to see her approach the monster in her current form but their minds were put at ease when she raised her moon sceptre instead of the moon broach. She didn't give the monster a chance to make any moves or any decisions and without her usual wand waving and special speeches she blasted it into the dust it had arisen from. Then she tucked the sceptre away where it belonged and changed back into the Serena they had known for two weeks.

Following her example the other changed back into themselves under the protection of the hanger where no one could see them, everyone that is except Endymion. He stood there watching Serenity like a hawk as she stood for a long moment looking at the spot where the creature had been. After that moment passed she walked up to him and held out her hand asking for one of his roses. Endymion looked a little lost but gently handed one to her careful of it's dangerous tip and thorns. As she held it the white of the rose slowly bleed into the full deep rich red that his roses had been until her disappearance. She along with the others watched its transformation and once it was pure she sniffed it delicately then tossed it without looking at the rather large pile of dust on the runway. The clouds had begun clearing up but the winds had yet to resume so the dust was untouched. The rose imbedded itself in the pile and after a moment the pile started to get smaller and smaller and the rose shrank in size as well until they both disappeared altogether. Serenity watched it happen with her cool calculating eyes then when it was gone she turned to look back at Endymoin her eyes searching his.

Endymion didn't know what to think of her performance, he thought that maybe it was a test to prove that she was fully able to handle his powers as well as her own, which as he recalled she'd been able to do on the moon kingdom as well but whatever it's purpose he no longer cared when found himself under the scrutiny of the woman he loved. At that moment Love was not a strong enough word for the emotion that rushed through him for he not only loved her but he cherished her with every fiber of his being and knew that his soul would never rest if she was every away from him. He reached for her and there she was as she launched herself into his arms and into an embrace that made those observing blush and turn away because it was something so private they felt embarrassed to be witnessing it.

Once they had realized that Serena was no longer with them the Donnelley's had followed her path down to the side of the terminal although they did not go outside as she had. Instead they watched as she talked to the man in uniform who seemed oddly familiar to all of them, then changed into a woman they barely recognized. They stood there silently as she finished off whatever the creature was that had been fighting the figures outside then watched as they all changed back into the people they had come to know. Amanda nearly cheered when she saw her foster sister fling herself into the man who was obviously Mamoru although he hadn't changed back yet then made the boys look away as it was something not for them to witness. Then as she watched them cling together as the sun broke through she felt a twinge of sorrow and knew her sister would not be returning home with them although a sister of heart they would remain forever. As though sensing her thought the girl she had known as Serena pulled back from her knight and looked up into the terminal where the Donnelley's stood. A word or two was spoken down below and the knight shimmered and in his place stood Mamoru Chiba looking just as sorrowful as Amanda felt. The group made their way into the terminal by means none of them saw and it was the ten of them against the three Donnelleys. Amanda felt outnumbered as they stood in front of each other the women fanning out behind Serena and Mamoru according to height so they could all see the Donnelley's faces.

"My name is Serenity." Serenity started first taking a step forward but not letting go of the hand of her beloved. "But in Japan I was known as Usagi Tsukino I disappeared during an airplane accident and was presumed dead. When a year later I showed up on the coast of Hawaii I had no clue as to who I was or where I was from and having been gone so long there was no one to claim me." She struggled there not sure how to explain so much in only a few words. Mamoru took the step that separated them giving her his bodily support and Serenity looked at him with a soft smile of thank you.

"Let's go get something to eat, there's no point in standing around here to talk." Adam said, having been the first of the Donnelley's to do so. In response Serenity's stomach growled loud enough for everyone to hear breaking the ice between the groups.

"Same old Usagi."

"Same old Serenity."

"Same old Serena."

"Oh MINA!"

          Serenity Usagi Serena Celeste Tsukino stood across the street from the house she had once called home and cherished as a safe haven from all the evils that the world had offered. Now it was a building with fading paint, a hedge that needed trimmed and a car in the driveway parked badly. Serenity had long ago come to the conclusion that it was better for the parents that had given her this home what seemed a lifetime ago think that she was dead. She decided it was better than one day learning that their daughter wasn't really their daughter and loose her a second time but some part of her heart still belonged in this home and that was why she stood here now across the street by her self looking for any glimpse of her family.

          "Oni-sama get away from the window." An exasperated voice called and cracked halfway through and Serenity recognized Shingo's voice even though it was obviously changing. A moment later a young boy just entering puberty walked up to the window and leaned over to pick up a little girl almost two years old with dark blond curly hair all over her head and small buns just where they aught to be. Serenity fingered her longer hair nearly shoulder length now as she watched the little girl throw her arms around Shingo's neck and hug him.

          "Shingo, bring Usagi downstairs it's almost time for dinner." And as the figures moved away from the window Serenity's heart clenched and tears formed in her eyes. They truly would never forget her even if they would never know that it was she who would be watching over them for the rest of their lives. Serenity felt an arm wrap around her waist only seconds after she registered Endymoin's presence and she decided not to be mad that he had followed her after he had promised that he wouldn't. She needed his strength and his support just as he needed her.

"They named her Usagi, and gave her my room." She whispered softly watching the house even though there was no one to be seen and Endymion pulled her closer and planted a kiss on her head.

          "What a beautiful name." He whispered back and she let him turn her away as they headed home.


End file.
